Decisions
by The Fell Dragonite
Summary: (Read NS before reading this) Finally, after years of suffering and hard work, I've defeated the evil Mad King of Plegia. However, my troubles aren't over just yet. A king without a palace or subjects, whether or not that status is permanent is my choice now. Base rating is T, only momentary M-rated scenes. REWRITTEN VERSION
1. Dancing Blade

**A/N: I'm back, bitches!**

 **Deadpool: You never left.**

 **Goodralisk: Who asked you? Anyway, this shall be the start of the second part and a sequel to Noble Strength. Basically, this is the time between post-Plegian War and the upcoming Valmese war. I've also decided to extend the time gap from the regular two years to seven, simply because A) I think for developing bonds between the characters and the recovery of Ylisse from the war, the two-year break didn't cut it. B) I truly think that it would take longer than two years to take over all of Valm. C) Though it's open to suggestion, IT'S MY FIC AND THIS IS HOW I DO IT.**

 **Or rather: OUR fic.**

 **Lancer: This is getting real successful! I think we're doing a good job!**

 **Goodralisk: Also, I'm going to let Tychon narrate the parts of the story. Is that fine?**

 **Deadpool: As long as I get some portion of the spotlight, I'm good.**

 **Goodralisk: Fair enough!**

 **Disclaimer: We don't own Fire Emblem, or else Emmeryn wouldn't have died. Probably. Can't always have a happy ending. Unless you're getting a massage. Speaking of which, I'd like one, my muscles are tense. Is there money in the budget for that?**

 **...no? What do you mean n-"**

* * *

The morning sun shines through the window of my bedroom, the rays kissing my face with their warm embrace and waking me from my slumber. I scratch my face to rid my irritation and wake me up a little bit. I sit up with matted hair pointing all over, instinctively clutching my abdomen where the wound I received from Gangrel was. The wound was a rather large patch of darkened skin, stretched out more than the surrounding skin. Reaching from my mid-abdomen to the bottom of my rib cage, tilting to the right side ever so slightly out of centre of mass. It perplexed me how I survived that attack. Not only was the stab was deep enough to kill, but the lightning should've have left burns, tears, and ultimately death. Nevertheless, I was grateful to have accomplished my life ambition of defeating the Mad King. I relished in the feeling as I smiled.

"When two tigers fight, one is bound to be hurt," I began before looking out of the window. "The other will be dead, eh, Gangrel?" I swung my legs out of the bed, standing up fully. A series of pops and cracks reach my ears as I bend my body, loosening up the muscles and joints tightened up by sleep. My morning yawn began its resurgence before it was interrupted by a sudden knock at my bedroom door.

"Milord, are you awake?" Along with my agreement to stay in Ylisse came Raven's insistence. I had no problem with it, really, he was rather attentive, in fact. Not a day went where I'd go without dirty clothing, despite my protests to wash them myself. He wasn't a noisy roommate at all, the only times he made any noise was when he played his flute, the lilting sounds were calm and soothing. All in all, he was a good roommate.

"Yes, but I'm indecent," I replied, referring to the lack of clothing I wore, save for my smallclothes. "Give me a moment."

Not wanting to make Raven wait, I quickly clothe myself with a simple dark cotton shirt and pants to match, something a little more casual for today. Wasting no time, I pack my gear up for the work day, and open the door to meet the loyal swordsmaster. Now you ask, why would I say work day? Well, Chrom gave me and Raven a job at the castle training soldiers to increase Ylisse's might back to what it was, as the war with Plegia had weakened their forces. And I'd say things were going well with it all. I went into my bathing chambers to freshen up a little after waking up; washing my face, cleansing my mouth, and washing and brushing my hair were amongst these preparations.

"I have breakfast prepared for the two of us, milord," Raven said once he met me downstairs in the dining room, two plates filled with food. Themish pork slices with scrambled eggs and hash made from the finest picked Rosannean potatoes. Enjoy," he finished with a smile.

"Raven, I appreciate this, don't get me wrong," I began. "But I'm perfectly fine with cooking. Really. You don't need to go so far."

"Oh please, milord," he smiled. "You were cooking basically all the time, even when you were injured. Allow me to handle these things from time to time, okay?"

I sighed and shook my head, a smile finding its way on my face. "I'm not getting a win here, am I?" I received a no from the swordsmaster, the same smile unchanged. Ultimately I conceded, taking my seat at the dining table. Taking a forkful of eggs with a bit of the pork, I put it in my mouth, and not in a million years have I ever had anything so heavenly. The eggs were so fluffy and light, seasoned perfectly with salt, pepper and cheese, while the pork was fried to the pinnacle of crispness without losing its flavour or being burnt.

"Raven."

"Yes milord?"

"What wizardry?"

He wiped his mouth of crumbs. "I beg your pardon?"

"What wizardry did you use to make this meal?" I asked almost monotonously.

"Oh nothing. I do hope it's to your liking-"

"It's...beautiful," I whispered, holding up the plate beneath a spotlight that somehow appeared.

"Milord, it's just bacon and eggs," Raven sweatdropped.

After eating our morning meals, we cleaned up and left the house, Raven making sure to lock the door behind us. I was thankful that Chrom gave us a two-story home here in Ylisstol, but there were three problems. One: I wasn't okay with living there rent-free, but that wasn't anything big enough to bother me much. However, the second problem was that everyone knew where I lived. And by everyone, I mean EVERYONE IN THE GOD-FORSAKEN CAPITAL.

And to make matters worse, problem number three was that my job was at the palace. On the OTHER SIDE of Ylisstol. Fortunately, I have Raven beside me so I don't have to deal with drowning in a swarm of people, but the days when he can't make it to work, few as they are, I have to sneak around to get to work. This morning marked two weeks since I was employed, a month since Gangrel was defeated.

"Hey, Raven?"

"Yes, milord?" he responded.

"It's a little bit of an odd question, but how did you find me exactly?" I asked. "Calling it a needle in a haystack is an understatement when trying to find me."

The swordsmaster tapped his chin in thought. "Well, it wasn't too hard to find you, only took me three years. Although, at least half of that was just getting leads before I set out to find your presence."

I turned my head in his direction. "Wait, you can sense magic energy?"

"Of course, milord. All Pandorian warriors can, it's a must," he replied. "Hell, I'm sure you're able to just as well, if not more."

We took the alleyways of Ylisstol to avoid the many citizens of Ylisse once we started getting to the heavier populated areas. "Interesting. I thought it was just a thing I had. I thought I was just weird."

"Yes, a few years after you left, my father took over the reign of Pandora, until you returned, of course. He made it a requirement for any and all Pandorian warriors to be able to sense magical power in order to become a true soldier of our great realm."

"What for?" I questioned him.

"To find you." Raven picked at the strands of hair flowing down his shoulders. "While it's a very effective battle use, it was for the purpose of finding you. Search parties were sent out year after year for you, but no such luck."

"And I assume that after all of these failed attempts, you left to find me for sure?"

He smiled with closed eyes. "Correct. As you said, it wasn't easy, but it was completed nonetheless."

I scoffed at the thought, that search parties were sent out for me. If my memory served me correctly, the same people searching for me were the same people who tried to kill me. Aside from Raven's family, no one really had any compassion in their hearts for me. I don't know, perhaps it had changed, I'd never know for sure right now.

Drowned in my thoughts, I didn't even notice the castle come into full view until it was a mere skip away. Raven, however, did. "Well, we've made to the castle without problem."

"Step right up and get an autograph from the war hero of Ylisse himself, Eric!"

"Fuck." I turn my head to the left side behind me and I see a crowd of Ylisseans, some were males, but majority of said crowd consisted of fangirls and women. But at the head of the crowd was a certain red-headed merchant.

"You just HAD to say that, didn't you, Rave?" I lamented.

"Apologies, milord," Raven sighed. "I didn't consider the persistence of anyone trying to make a quick copper off of you."

"Only 5 silver pieces!" Anna called. Really? My autograph should be at least worth twenty! Wait… This isn't the time to be contemplating this! Now how the hell am I going to get out of this?

"How fast can you run?" I whispered to the swordsmaster.

"Quite, but what are you planning?"

"You'll see." I cleared my throat loudly before yelling "Holy crap, a wyvern!" I pointed at a random direction, and to my surprise and relief, they actually took the bait. 'I can't believe that actually worked,' I thought as I ran towards the palace gate, taking Raven with me.

"Why are we running milord?" Raven asks me, not too far behind me. "I could easily stop them for you."

"Because once we get to the castle, they can't do anything," I responded. "I'd rather avoid the conflict for now."

Surprisingly, we made it to the front gates fine. With a polite greeting and a respectful gesture in the form of a bow from the two of us, the knights at the castle gates gave us access. My relief didn't last long, as with a shout from a female pointing out where I was, I now frantically ran past the gates and stood mid-way through the courtyard.

"Well, at least the guards can handle it from here," Raven mentioned.

I close my eyes and breathed a sigh of relief until I heard the clatter of armor. My eyes jolted open as I saw the crowd rushing towards us. "Raven, stop jinxing it!"

"So much for plan A, let's try B." With a wave of his hand and purple light dancing across his slender fingers, Raven pulled up a transparent force field of violet colour. The crowd halted at the unknown magical force, unable to move further.

Raven, frustrated with this display, still kept his smile, although his expression made all of the Ylisseans gulp in fear. "Milord isn't to be bothered right now. He has work to do, as I'm sure most of you do." Spying the ringleader of this operation, he turned his wrath upon her. "I do not want you trying to make money off of Lord Eric, do you understand? He is a warrior, not a celebrity."

Any thoughts of retorting died in Anna's throat, he only response was a timid "Yes".

* * *

 **Narrator/Tychon PoV**

Meanwhile, Chrom was busy with Robin doing paperwork, the two swamped knee-deep in parchments. While both had papers all over their respective sides of the desk, the tactician's side was the lesser organized, sheets splayed all over while Chrom had his own in stacks, albeit messily. Signing the last sheet, the latter of the two threw down his quill as he moved to fix them up in an orderly fashion. "Finally, I never thought we'd be done. What is all of this anyway?"

Chrom ran a hand through his hair. "Most of it is just menial things; road repairs, maintenance rules, et cetera. And my most favourite: a TEN page report from one of the noblemen in Caldor insisting on a grant to build an opera house."

"I still have to sign that, by the way," Robin added in, finishing his part of that declination. "A lot of my portion goes towards collateral damage from the war. Property, businesses, yada yada, you get the idea."

"Well, better you than me," the prince sighed, placing his hands behind his head. "You're better suited for handling it than me."

A laugh of relief was shared between the two, though it was short-lived once Frederick entered to take the completed forms, only to replace them with more, a pile just as big as the last. The platinum-blond tactician's eye simply twitched and Chrom looked like he was ready to flip the desk.

"Frederick, have you seen Eric today?" Chrom asked, trying to take his mind off of the torture one calls paperwork. "Today was the first day for him."

"Actually, milord, I had come to report that he has arrived. Said that he and his charge were delayed."

"Okay, good," Chrom sighed. "Just direct him to where he's supposed to go, would you, Frederick?"

"But of course milord," the knight grinned.

* * *

 **Eric PoV**

With guidance from the great knight, Raven and I finally reach the back end of the castle courtyard to meet the recruits. There were roughly two dozen of them in single-file groups of six. I recognized one of the recruits, the dancer Olivia. She helped us fight against Gangrel's forces in the final battle. Raven glanced her way as well, eliciting a blush from the dancer that did not go unnoticed by me. I kept that little detail to myself, smirking inwardly.

Raven stood next to me with strong posture as I cleared my throat, ready to begin. "Alright, everyone, I am Eric, the man next to me is Raven. He and I will be training you all in the sword for the next few weeks." Absently, I start to slowly pace in front of them. "You are going to work and you are going to sweat. You will get through it if you have the mindset and the willingness to work for it. 'If the mind conceives it, the body will do it.' That is what the code I live by, and if you want to serve Ylisse effectively, I advise you do so as well. It does not matter if you aren't good, because we will make you good, understood?"

 **"Yes, sir!"**

"Any questions?"

A single hand raised up into the air, belonging to a young man from a small village on the southeastern corner of Ylisse. "Yes, and you are..."

"My name is Donnel, Sir Lordshipness," the country boy, now named Donnel answered, his voice was thick with a southern drawl.

"Please, Eric is fine."

"O-okay. Are you the same guy who up n' saved Ylisse and beat Gangrel?"

I scratch my cheek with a single finger. "Well, I wouldn't say that I saved the realm on my own, I obviously had help. I did, however end the Mad King myself. I'd love to tell the story if you all want, but I have to train you guys first." I look out to them and I see an equal amount of female recruits as there are males. 'Good to see that there are more women joining the forces.'

"First and foremost, we will start a warm up jog around the courtyard, ten laps'll do. I will lead the group through it, adding in a few accompanying exercises. And training starts now!" I led the recruits and they kept up surprisingly well, especially Donnel. From what Raven told me, he had lots of promise. After learning of a slew of bandit attacks on the southeastern side of Ylisse, Raven took it upon himself to lead the charge in eliminating them, with Chrom's approval of course. Upon meeting a village under attack, conveniently, he met young Donnel, convincing him to take arms to defend his home. Ultimately, the farm boy decided to join the Ylisstol Army, and so here he was. This boy was definitely an interesting case.

"Let's dive into the workout, shall we?" I take out a book. "You are going to be doing fifty push-ups, one hundred sit-ups, 120 squats, then we do suicides up and down the length of the courtyard. And once again, I'll be leading you all through it. Ready?"

* * *

After about half an hour, the workout was complete. Most were struggling to catch their breath, but none were entirely burnt out. Still, the warm up proved to be very strenuous. In fact, it was only Raven and myself who weren't tired. "Are you guys feeling the burn yet?" A few of them nodded, but shook it off. "This will be a regularly occurring session where we do this, but today, to get a picture of where you stand, one by one, you will all spar with me." Everyone looked at each other with concern. "It's nothing grand, I just want to gauge your beginning level of skill. If you can hit me in the face or torso, you are done for the day. Time limit is five minutes per person." I take out a cooking timer, setting it for five minutes. "Who wants to go first?"

No one stepped forward at first, instead they were exchanging nervous glances. The corners of my mouth slowly tugged into a grimace, a little disappointed in the lack of conviction. Sensing this, Raven put on his usual smile to show them that there was no harm going to be done. "That is to say, we want to see your beginning level so we can not only train you accordingly, but so we can see your style and help you craft one suited to you. It matters not if you fail, the failure will make you a better fighter."

"Then… can I go first, sir?" Donnel asked. Raven just had such a way with people. Smiling, I tossed him a wooden sword and I took my own. "It won't be easy. Will you still press on?"

"Let's get 'er done!" He rushed at me, eager to prove his potential. I took my stance quickly, getting ready to take him on. He thrust his blade at the left side of my head, and I quickly raise my sword, pushing it to the side and striking his open body with the pommel, pushing him back. "Predictable."

Unfazed, he rushes at me again, starting off with a wide horizontal swipe, which I block with ease, then parry his blade following up with a clash. "So you know the basics of sword combat." I push him off. "I can work with that." From what I could make heads or tails of, Donnel had a very odd style specifically tailored to weakening his opponent. He had to polish it up, but I could see that his goal was to keep his stamina high while chipping away at his opponent, exhausting them. All in all, he had an effective tactic.

After some time, however, it looked like Donnel's fire was petering out, his attacks getting gradually sloppy. He brings down his sword, but I sidestep it, then thrust my sword at him. He dodges it, my wooden blade striking air. He twists behind me to hit my head, however, without even looking, I catch it with my left hand. "You did well dodging my strike." I turn my head in his direction. "You read your opponent, and that's exactly what real battle's like. Combat is a mental game. And by the way, you have thirty seconds left. Make them count."

Once again, he just barrels straight towards me. "Gods, have you been listening to anything I just said?" I spout rhetorically, moving to put him flat on his ass, but instead of striking like I thought he would have, he faked the strike, baiting me into parrying a false blow. He twists behind me and I go to hit the back of his head. Out of pure instinct, he ducks, blind to the strike as a bat, and taps my torso instead. "Baiting your opponent with a false attack. You did well. Give him a round of applause, everyone." The recruits applauded him enthusiastically as he took his seat off to the side against the castle wall.

I went through just about everyone, and because we were finished early, we just chatted, sparred for fun, or I told them stories about fighting in the Second Plegian War. At mid-afternoon, today's training session was over. All of them were fairly respectful to me, and they weren't afraid to let loose and be themselves around me rather than hold me as a figure of reverence and change in my presence, and I liked that. "Listen up, my prized pupils." I smiled at how that sounded. "I hope today was a fun day for everyone, I had a wonderful first day training you all. My system works. You have to work it, and you'll have plenty of time to learn and work the system. Keep hydrated and eat well. Dis-MISSED!"

Gradually everyone left the courtyard except one: Olivia. I went through my pack to pull out a sandwich, taking one half and biting out of it. Raven, on the other hand, had a chicken salad he had secure in a wooden bowl and had his fill too. "How can I help you, Olivia?" I asked in between bites once the pinkette approached me.

"Um... I know I didn't face you earlier like everyone else, but I wouldn't have been able to perform at my best with everyone staring at me."

Nodding, I finish the last bite of my sandwich. "That's fine, you can face me now if you're okay with it."

"I-I don't know, I mean, I don't want to take up your leisure time," the demure dancer replied.

"Well, the training for today finished early, so I have time to kill. And besides, I'm your teacher. I'd love to train you personally if you want it." I hand her a wooden sword and take up my own, starting the timer. But one thing I noticed before I begun was the way Raven ever so slightly blushed when he looked at her, even if it wasn't more than a glance. I don't even think he noticed it himself. Then an idea popped into my head.

"Actually…" I began with a devilish grin. "I'm a little tired out from today. Raven, would you mind sparring with her?"

"Very well," Raven said, the dancer's face burning a crimson red. Handing off the sword to the dark haired swordsmaster, I grinned like an imp as I watched the two.

"Ready?" Raven asks her. Trying to bring down the colour in her face, she nods. "Begin! Take your strike!"

She runs at him, holding her sword in a reverse grip, and she starts off with a swing to my side, which Raven ducks under. He ends up behind her and grabs her sword wrist while holding his other arm across her abdomen. "Hold it in a regular grip." He says before fixing the the sword in her hand. "You get its maximum effectiveness out of it when you do."

"I-I'm sorry. I'll do better."

"Don't apologize, I'm merely giving advice, nothing was wrong," he says with his trademark smile that made her blush three more shades. I nearly fell over laughing; the close proximity, the way he held her, and his obliviousness to it all made it so amusing to watch.

After letting her go, Olivia backs away, taking her stance again. Raven continued his attack on the dancer, but she flips over his swipe with grace. Following up, he stabbed with his sword, and she spins around the strike with ease, retaliating with a stab of her own. Taken off guard by only a split second, the dark-haired warrior took a 90 degree counterclockwise step with his left foot and pulled on her arm, basically guiding her away from him. "Olivia, why are you holding back?"

The dancer quickly regained her footing. "What...?"

"If you're afraid of hurting me, get rid of those feelings." Raven raises his sword at her. "Come at me with the intent to kill, got it?"

She hesitated at first, but then got her act together. I figured that Raven decided to bring out her potential by putting her on the defence. She flinched at his sudden movement, but once he struck, she stepped on his blade after dodging the attack narrowly, jumping off of it and landing behind him. "Your agility is astounding," the swordsmaster remarked as they continued to fight. He mainly blocked and parried her attacks, while she dodged or flipped over his.

"Thank you," she blushed furiously before striking again, not willing to let her guard down. Raven blocked her next attack, but instead of looking discouraged, she smirked and swept his leg from underneath him. It was only a split second before she was on top of him, her wooden sword at his chest. "Well done," I smiled.

"I am so, so sorry! Are you hurt?!" she shouted sheepishly as she got off of him.

"Hurt, no. Impressed, very much so." Raven began, picking himself off of the ground. "Your grace and movements are hard to follow and you used that to your advantage. But you lack confidence." He put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You need to stop thinking of yourself in such a low regard, you are much more than you know. I see it in you, you just need to see it."

"Thank you...thank you for your help," she said, avoiding eye contact with the kind warrior.

He simply smiled. "My pleasure."

'Gods damn it, just kiss already,' I thought to myself before finally noticing the time of day. "Damn, it's getting late."

"I have to get home. I recently got a place here in Ylisstol not too far from here."

"Would you mind if Raven took you home?" I offered.

"I'd love the company," she said with her trademark blush.

"Raven, if you would."

A bow was my answer. "Yes, milord." I watched the two leave the courtyard and once they left, I raised my hands, my fingers dangling as if there were strings on them. "Ha ha! Dance, puppets, dance!"

* * *

I decided to go to one of the local taverns to get a nice meal, and I see at one of the tables a certain red headed thief scoring lots of coppers and silvers in poker against Sully, Vaike, and Gregor. "Beating people in poker again?"

Gaius turned his head, lollipop and all. "Hey, Terminator, what's up?"

"Nothing much, Type 2," I retorted, earning a grumble from the sugar addict as I pulled up a chair. "Deal me a hand." Sully dealt me five cards; three 8's, a five and a king. "So how was your day?" I asked none of them in specific as I raised the bet to ten silver.

"Teach got a date today!", Vaike said.

I, however, didn't, or rather, couldn't believe he did. "You got a date?" I asked, a tone of disbelief evident in my voice, exchanging one of my cards for another. He nodded with pride. "Did you actually get stood up, but forget that it happened, 'cause that seems more likely for you."

Everyone shared a laugh. "It is true. Gregor was being the "wingman"," the aged mercenary added.

"You're just jealous that you don't have a lady in your life," Vaike said in a joking manner.

I looked up, thinking. "Meh, I never really gave it much thought. By the way, full house. Three 8's, two kings." I put down my cards face up, raking in the cash as everyone threw down their cards.

"C'mon, there must be someone in the Shepherds you have a thing for," the thief said.

"And when you find out, let me know," I retorted with a laugh, playing another hand.

"Oh, please. I bet you were so vengeance-crazed, you don't even know how to get a date," Gaius challenged.

"Just cause I had other things on my mind doesn't mean I can't get a woman." Before I could finish, a man whispered something inaudible to everyone else at the table. No doubt it hadn't to be something important, it was a dire request from Chrom. "And speaking of other thing, I have to bounce. Check you guys later," I finished as left my chair, the table waving or nodding their salutations.

* * *

I stretched my arms as I stood in the private quarters of Chrom's office, the big man himself sitting in the desk, perhaps made of mahogany, I presumed. "Yeah, Chrom, what's up?"

"Something's up," he stated blatantly. "To cut it short, I've received word that Chon'sin, a country on our neighbouring continent Valm, is being targeted by some sort of mercenary band, specifically its capital Kan'to."

"Wait, if they're simply sellswords, then how come they can't handle them?"

Chrom took up a file. "What we're dealing with are an amalgamation of many mercenary bands, standing over nine thousand for sure, perhaps reaching a full ten thousand. And this force also consists of military troops as well."

I rolled my hand, gesturing him to continue. "And that's a problem because..."

"Please take this seriously, Eric. Not everyone can take down armies on their own like you."

I laughed a bit. "Okay, okay, I'll do it. I simply need a force of maybe one hundred, aside from me."

"I was going to say that I was going to go and handle it, and I was wondering if you could hold down the fort until I got back."

I cocked a brow. "You know you can't do that."

"I know, I know," he sighed. "The royal life can be such a cage."

"When do I leave?" I asked.

"In about a month."

"Is that so?" I take a moment to think. "If so, can I take the new recruits as well ?"

"You can't be serious, Eric! That's not enough time for them to get ready!"

"I got this. I can assure you that they'll be ready by this time next month."

"...Fine, Eric, if you're so sure. And one more thing." He tossed the file on the desk, a few of the photos spilling from the file. "They're being led by this woman." I take up the picture, gripping it tightly once I caught the sight of who it was. Blonde hair, dark clothing, brass knuckles. Their leader was Alice. Fucking Alice. "What the hell is she doing leading mercenaries?"

"That's what we need to find out. The mission is: capture her and stop this. If she causes trouble in Chon'sin and they know she's Plegian..."

"It could possibly bring intercontinental war."

"Exactly."

"I'm sure that I'll have them ready within the month," I saluted.

* * *

The next morning after training, Raven and I stood in front of the trainees. "Before I dismiss you all, I have some news." All of them murmured amongst themselves but gradually got quieter, allowing me to continue. "Three weeks, I was informed that a force of ten thousand may strike Chon'sin in a week's time by the prince himself."

One of them raised his hand. "Sir, why are you telling us this?"

"Because that will be your first mission as militants. A force of one hundred Ylisseans will be assisting the Chon'sin troops, twenty of which will be you, all of which are led by me. However, this mission is strictly voluntary, albeit preferred that you-"

 **"Aye,"** they all sounded in unison. Wow, that was easier than I thought. "That's the spirit. Class dismissed!" I shot up a fist to cover my mouth. Where did that come from? For a second, I sounded like Vaike. As if on instinct, I look at the entrance to see him striking out with one of the trainees, the fighter being almost completely ignored. "What's up, Teach? Striking out for the umpteenth time?" I said, walking to him.

He beat a fist upon his chest. "It takes a while for the ladies to realize the Vaike's charms."

"Or to find any at all for that matter," I joked. "What brings you here?"

"Just looking for a challenge, thought you'd be hanging around." He hefted his axe onto his shoulder. "Maybe I can show these greenhorns who the real Teach is!"

"Do you really want to replay how the tournament went nearly a year ago?"

"Miracles don't happen twice, Eric. Remember that," he smiled.

"Well, I can't face you. For the next few weeks, I'll be preparing the recruits for an expedition to Chon'sin."

"A fight overseas? Could I come with?" he asked. I thought long and hard about that. I mean, Vaike's a good guy, he's got heart and all, but I don't think that he's suited for something delicate like this. Whatever, caution to the wind. The more help, the better. "Fine, but on one condition. I'm leading a hundred-man squad, so in order for the mission to be successful, I need the cooperation of every unit. When I have a plan, could you do your best to follow my orders?"

"Can do!" He shot a thumbs up before a voice behind me called my name, making me turn around.

"Ah, Olivia. Ready to start your private training?" I said, receiving a nod from the dancer, and a nudge from Vaike. "Private training, eh?"

"Shut up. You are interrupting my pupil's training, so please leave."

With that, he left Olivia, Raven and I alone, but not before laughing his way out. "In any case, let's begin your training for today."

After having her practice her form and technique of a wooden decoy for an hour or so, I simply nodded at her progress. "Amazing," I sighed, removing the now damaged wooden dummy. "You've improved exponentially over the course of this month."

She looked up at me. "I don't think I can join this expedition, I'll probably just get in the way. I'm only good at dancing, and even then, I'm not the best."

"Don't be so modest, I'm sure you're a great dancer. In fact, I'd love to see one of your dances if you don't mind."

"I don't know…"

"We can provide the music if you'd like," I heard before turning to Raven, who had a violin on hand.

I cocked and eyebrow and tilted my head. "Raven, why do you have a violin?"

"I'm not sure, milord," he replied. "Why do you have an ocarina?"

"Smartass," I grumbled, my attention back on the dancer. "So how about it?"

"O-okay then," she stuttered before Raven began playing.

 **(Wind's Course from Bravely Default)**

Once the violin began, I begun to see why Basilio praised her so much. She was in perfect sync with every note Raven played, fluid as the ocean waves. Her movements were so graceful and mesmerizing, and for once, she didn't seem like the shy demure dancer that the Shepherds knew. She was so confident, as if she was the only one around. After a few minutes, the music concluded and her dance had ended. Raven and I couldn't help but applaud. "That was remarkable, Olivia. I've seen dancing before, but nothing like that."

"Th-thank you, Eric," she replied. "It's really nothing though. I just… go with it."

"If you fought the way you dance, you'd beat almost anything in your path." Then the gears began to turn in my head. "Hold up. ...What if you actually could? Try combining the movements of your dancing with what I've taught you." I drew my sword.

"W-w-wait! You and I are going to fight? Right now?!"

"Right now. And if you hold back..." I plaster a deadly smile on my face. "...you'll die." Without warning, I attack her at high speed, keeping her on the defensive and she only had a split second between each hit to dodge, the time she had to even draw her own sword was limited. "What are you doing? Stop dodging and fight me!"

"I... I can't...! I'm scared!"

"Scared of what?" I shout as our blades clash. "Scared of dying? Losing comrades in the midst of battle? This is exactly what battle is like!" I push off her sword and back up a bit. "If you fear for your life, you will lose it. Hesitate and you will age. Retreat and you will die."

I raise my blade in front of my face. "You must have the confidence to fight for your friends and family. To win at any cost. If you have any shred of fear in your being, you will die for sure. I've seen your potential and I have confidence in your abilities! Why can't you see it for yourself?"

"You have confidence in my ability?"

"Not just me. Raven does as well, and he knows what good potential is better than I do." The dancer looked over at the kind swordsmaster and simply blushed before facing me. "I've said it once and I'll say it again. You are more than you know, and you need to use it to your fullest. Prove to me that you are a product of our instruction! GO!"

With a deep breath, she sped towards me, not a sparkle of fear in her eyes. I ran towards her as well, going for a swift thrust, but half a second before it hits, she spins around it, aiming a slash to my left that I barely block. I push off, then go in for my offence, but as if she was lost in one of her dances, she evaded and flipped away from all of my attacks. 'Finally, she's showing what she's capable of.' With a lot of twirling and the grace of a swan, she kept me on the defensive, finishing with a wide arc to deflect for blade. Leaving my body open, she ended the fight with a slash to my chest.

I fell to a knee, placing a hand over the gash. "Oh, good Naga, what have I done?!" Olivia yelled, dropping her sword and kneeling at my side. "I'm so, so, so sorry! Oh, gods, you're hurt and it's all my fault!"

"Hey, hey, hey. Look at me. You did nothing wrong." Raven hands me a vulnerary and with a pop of a cork, I drink the bitter concoction, the bleeding starting to decrease. "Your fighting style, Olivia, is unique to you and you only, so name it well."

Olivia looks to the side, thinking. "Hmm...Espada Danzante."

"Beg your pardon?"

"The name of my style. Espada Danzante." She helped me to my feet. "In honour of my teachers."

"That's Pandorian for 'Dancing Blade'," Raven said. "A fitting name."

"Thank you." She bowed to me her thanks before drawing my knight in and hugging him. "For all of your help."

"You are very much welcome," I replied as Raven awkwardly returned said hug. As Olivia gathered her things and left, Raven was left in a daze of sorts. The only thing I could think was 'Oh Raven… one day you'll figure it out…'

* * *

 **And this is the first REWRITTEN chapter to the second part of the Noble Strength trilogy. This portion is basically the policy of Naruto: If it can be fit in, it's a great place for filler. Goodralisk over and-**

 **Lancer: Hey, what about the rest of us?**

 **Goodralisk: Right. We all out. Seriously though, you guys were extremely quiet. Especially Deadpool, how'd he keep silent?**

 **Lancer: Well….**

 ***Camera pans to Deadpool duct taped and hogtied***

 **Goodralisk: Nice work.**


	2. The Bond Deepens

**Deadpool: Okay. Who here agrees that our main author here is an idiot? All in favour?**

 **Goodralisk: Come on, DP, no one is going to-**

 **Tychon: Aye.**

 **Lancer: Aye.**

 **Goodralisk: What the hell guys?**

 **Tychon: Let's be real here, it was kind of a stupid choice to change your pen name as far as you've come.**

 **Goodralisk: How? I beg to differ, considering it'll definitely boost my views.**

 **Lancer: Well, yeah, but now you have to change your pen name in EVERY intro and outro you've done up til now.**

 **Deadpool: Speaking of, why is it still Goodralisk above anyway? Change it.**

 **Goodrali- I mean, The Fell Dragonite: I'll get to it when I get to it. Geez.**

 **We own nothing.**

* * *

"What happened now?" Lissa asked with an exasperated sigh, referring to the gash on my chest. Long since stopped its bleeding, she dabbed a cloth soaked with an alcoholic solution to keep it free of infectants. The familiar sting of medicinal treatment filled infirmary of the castle as I growled in slight discomfort. "We're not even at war, and yet you still somehow hurt yourself."

Wincing with the treatment, I breathed out a laugh. "Training happened. Silver lining: we got Olivia to be more effective in combat. She has her own sword style, just has to master it now."

"That's peachy," Lissa replied, starting up the bandage portion. "In the meantime-"

"Fuck!" I yelled as Lissa tightened the gauze coil on my body.

"Language, milord," Raven cut in, sitting on a nearby stool.

"-you could learn a thing or two about avoiding injury."

"Now where have I heard that before?" I sarcastically pondered, earning an eye roll from the princess.

"I swear, you can be more reckless than Chrom sometimes," she sighed.

"Five silver says I'm not," I joked, earning a laugh from the young cleric and the same from Raven, plus a shaken head. I put my shirt back on once she finished treating my wounds, and no later than that, the infirmary doors creaked open, and behind them was heiress of Themis, Maribelle.

"Hey, Maribelle!" the energetic princess greeted. "I thought you weren't coming for another hour!"

"Yes, well, the coach was quite generous and made it a rather swift…" The duchess finally made eye contact with me in the midst of her sentence, the duchess-to-be's eyes went from warm and welcoming to hard and unamused if I had to guess. "...trip."

Turning around to see what it was she had her gaze so dead set on, I saw nothing, only to meet the same gaze once I turned back. "What, is there something on my face?" I asked in mock ignorance, totally aware of Maribelle's opinion of me.

"Nothing, just shame," Maribelle retorted, earning a slight scowl from me and a snicker from Lissa.

"Mari Contrary, indeed," I said with a sigh, making Lissa let out a laugh and make Maribelle scowl more than I did. Taking my victory with a obligatory grin, I grabbed my things. "I know where I'm not wanted, so I guess that's my cue to leave. I got to start planning for the trip," I sighed. It wasn't even until a couple of seconds later I paled.

I was such an idiot. Not that it was specifically deemed classified, but it should've been clear that it wasn't news to be spread around. "What trip?" the duchess asked.

Okay, Eric. Think of a way out of this. I straightened out my back, coughing out a couple. "I'm… going to visit a friend in Chon'sin."

I mentally kicked myself, thinking that the plan was absolute bullcrap that she'd probably be able to see right through. Damn it.

"Enjoy your visit, then," Maribelle said. All I could do was blink in surprise.

'Roll with it,' I thought as I left the room with Raven behind by only a few paces, saying goodbye to the two women before they could question it.

* * *

The silence was tense between us two men sat down in thought watching one another; one behind a desk that stood in front of a window looking out towards the urban scenery of Ylisstol while the other sat in a chair facing the former, his leg propped up on the other as he pondered. Raven simply stood with his hands behind his back, dutifully waiting for even a single word to be said, an opinion to be voiced, only to receive a metronomic tapping of my finger on a fine wooden chair.

A small book was in the confines of Chrom's hand. "This Alice character is causing quite the commotion," he began, gesturing with said book, waving it around. "Turns out she's amassed mercenaries and bandits not only from Plegia, but from various areas in western Ylisse as well."

"Tell me something I didn't figure out on my own," I said, rubbing my temple. "Unspoken question from before, but.. How exactly do you get information like this? It's not exactly like Plegia's in the condition to cause said trouble to warrant anything."

"Right," Raven chimed in. "They've barely the men to even defend themselves should they be attacked, let alone try and assault Chon'sin."

"Well, our spies have confirmed otherwise." Chrom let out a sigh and placed the book on the wooden surface. "In fact, they've uncovered this book from the Plegian treasury shortly after the war's end. Seems like Gangrel wanted some serious muscle to win the war."

I took the book up from the desk and flipping through it, I immediately realized what it was. "Chrom… this is a bingo book."

He nodded gravely. "Yes. All criminals, missing men, or anyone gone AWOL really."

I continued to flip through before a certain page caught my eye. Raven's eyes widened when he took a look. "Milord… that couldn't be…!" Mid-way through the book sat a portrait of me, accompanied by an entire description.

 _Name_ : _Eric Halcón del Pandora_

 _Age_ : _17_

 _Height_ : _5'11"-6'0"_

 _Weight_ : _182 lbs_

 _Eye Colour_ : _Brown_

 _Hair_ : _Dark brown_

 _Heir to the throne of Pandora. Said to be the Prince of War and the Black Beast, he wanders around the world wielding a blade of sinister violet and an aura that spells doom for any who stand in his way. He grins with pleasure where others would cower in fear, always relishing the prospect of a fight. Extremely dangerous, high rank A-low rank S_

 _Bounty: 50,000 Gold, dead or alive_

"Damn," I whistled. "Didn't think I'd see my face in one of these."

Chrom simply raised an eyebrow before Raven asked the question on the prince's mind. "What, pray tell, did you do so much that caused you to be worth 50,000 Gold? Majority of men aren't worth even a quarter of that at the most."

"I've...done a couple things, but nothing criminal, I promise you," I said, slightly nervous.

"What about stealing money from House Antillus?" Chrom jabbed.

"Gee, thanks, Chrom, throw me under the bus, why don't you?" I said, feeling myself shrink under Raven's glare. "And for your information, I took it from him not only to just screw with him, but to give to the people of Antira. Seriously, they were freaking starving and that sack of shit was just crapping all over them."

"Point taken. His greed for money made it hard for Emmeryn to sort out. Besides, from what I know, that bounty was made mostly for your safe return," Chrom supplied, which managed to subdue the wrathful glare of Raven. "But that's not it. If you're at your name, then what should be there for me to show you is a few pages down."

Acknowledging his statement, I flipped through it a few more pages to find it, the mission making more and more sense.

 _Name : Alicia Vega_

 _Age : 24_

 _Height : 5'9"_

 _Weight : 138 lbs_

 _Eye Colour : Blue_

 _Hair : Blonde_

 _The Succubus of the Altean Sea Coast, west of continent Ylisse. She is thought to be of lust incarnate, taking over the minds of man and using the human sexuality to her advantage, but don't let that fool oneself. Magical prowess is astronomically great, her magic has never allowed her to suffer any decisive injury. Extremely dangerous. High rank A_

 _Bounty: 30,000 Gold, dead or alive_

"I see what you mean though," I nodded. "And this was made a few years ago, so I could only imagine-"

"Actually, there are updated copies, ones that don't have you, nor her in it for some reason," Chrom mentioned. "I suppose Gangrel would have been hunted down by other nations had any of them found out that an international criminal had a high position in his armies."

"So he must've hid this so they couldn't update it. Makes sense sorta," I stated. "Still, it doesn't change the mission at all, does it?"

The prince shook his head. "No, but it's extra intel I thought might come handy. Dismissed."

"See ya later, Chrom."

After speaking with Chrom, Raven and I'd left the castle and realized the sun had nearly set over the horizon, the tall lampposts in the plaza lighting themselves up with flame. Walking home, I spoke to the swordsmaster about the details of the mission and how we could go about doing it during the casual stroll. We turned the corner into an alleyway leading to our house, and I immediately hear commotion. Raven and I continue to walk down the path as the voices grew louder. I peered down one of the branching alleyways to see Gaius surrounded by three burly guys, all of which were a head taller than him. "Probably drunks," I muttered to myself as I walked over to them. I didn't know entirely what they were saying, but I could make out a bit of the conversation.

"This should be interesting," Raven said to no one in particular.

"Listen, man. I don't want any trouble," the sweet-toothed thief said casually. "I'm not usually the violent type."

The guy in the middle, most likely the head of the three, cracked his knuckles. "Well, ya should'a thought o' that 'fore ya went 'n chatted with ma girl!" he said with slight slur, confirming that he was intoxicated. "I think it's a good time for me 'n me boys to teach ya a lesson."

"Don't you have to be a lot smarter to be a teacher?" I taunted with a smirk on my face. Gaius' expression went from subdued intimidation to one of cockiness. "Great timing, Terminator." I raise my eyebrows at him, acknowledging his statement.

This time, I cracked my knuckles. "I don't appreciate you trying to jump my friend. Do a better job and your "girl" wouldn't have to go and try to hook up with pale, scrawny sugar fiends."

"Yeah-Hey!"

"Now, how about you guys scurry on home before I waste your asses."

The thug leader looked at his friends, then shot a glare at me. "Ya can't be serious. Do ya have rocks fer brains?"

A grin of amusement plastered on my face, I walk straight up to him, looking him dead in the eye. "I don't know, can you lose weight? I guess we're both jumping to conclusions."

"Why, ya little-"

"Every time I hear you speak, it's like, "I'm so wasted!""Please beat me up!""Good Naga, these clothes make me look fat!" With a snarl of anger, he lunged at me and punched me in the face. It connected, though I stood in spot as if it did nothing, which was accurate.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know we were beginning," I said nonchalantly. "My turn." I took his fist and pushed it back, squeezing it as I did so, hearing multiple cracks and pops. The lead thug stepped back, clutching his wrist in agony.

Gaius takes the opportunity and sweeps one of the other guys' legs from beneath them, following up with an elbow to the chest, disabling him from fighting and making the fight two on two. Gaius plants his fist firmly in the drunk's stomach making the latter hunch over in pain, finishing it by kneeing him in the face.

The lead guy assaulted me with a fury of punches to the face, all of which I dodged. He put his hands together to swing them down on my head, but I sidestep it, spinning around him to kick him in the back of the head, knocking him out.

"Nice," Gaius chuckled.

He and I bumped fists. "What did you do this time?" I asked him.

He raised his hands in defence. "I didn't do anything, if anything, it was an honest mistake." Seeing me raise a brow incredulously, he continued. "I see this girl in the bar-and she was a total knockout. She and I are talking, we're hitting it off, and just when I'm about to kick things up-"

"Those guys show up and kill your boner. Yeah, I get it." I pat his shoulder. "Alright, I'm gonna go, see ya. And for the love of Naga, don't go looking for trouble."

* * *

"Ah, yes. Finally, a day off." I stretched my arms as I walked through the plaza square the next morning. "How long has it been since I had one?"

"I believe it wasn't necessarily a day off, more so disability leave."

"Raven…" I sighed. "This is your day off too, just enjoy it. I'll be fine on my own for at least a day."

I look around, there were so many shops and quaint little stalls around. At one of the floral stalls was a familiar dancer of pink hair, giving me a win-win. "Hey, why don't you spend some time with Olivia? I'm sure she'd love the company."

"I'm not entirely sure, milord," Raven sweatdropped. "She doesn't seem to wish to speak to me, all she does is blush and turn the other way."

"Don't worry about it, just go on!" I pat my knight on the back, which ultimately motivated him to walk the dancer's way. Finally, now on my own, I thought about what I was going to for the upcoming mission. It's not like this was something I could just go for and wing it.

"Well, one thing I am going to need is armour." I then realized from the time I left Pandora to the end of the Second Plegian War, I hadn't wore any sort of armour at all. "Something light, yet durable. Leather will do, I guess."

I enter the armoury nearby, seeing all the various weaponry and equipment of different material. Shrugging, I asked the blacksmith if he had any leather armour, to which he shook his head. "Well, kid, you're tough out of luck," he said. "I'm not expecting imports for that for a while. Although..." He went in the back room, then moments later, he brought out a cuirass of small iron plates laced together with a quarter-inch layer of leather behind it. "There is something better, we have is lamellar armour. Lightweight, though it can take its fair share of punishment. Is this what you wish to purchase?"

"I'll also take tassets and pauldrons of the same material," I added, taking out a pouch of gold. Taking out a handful of gold and silver coins, I swipe them across my palm, counting them out to the price.

"Wait a minute..." He exhaled, interrupting my count. "You're Eric Pandora, aren't you?"

"I am," I said hesitantly.

"No way…" he began. "You're... the war hero of the Second Plegian War himself?! The man who defeated Gangrel and saved us from doom?!"

"That be the one," I said to the man. Stimulated, the blacksmith rushed into the back room, and with a bit of clinging and clanging, brought out lamellar tassets and pauldrons to go with. "Here you go. Keep your money, just use the armour, that's all I ask!"

"I really can't just take-"

"To think my masterpieces will see real combat on the person of Eric Pandora...!"

He obviously wasn't listening to me. "I'm just going to assume it's twelve gold pieces, so, uh, here." I dropped the coins on the counter and left with the armour in tow.

After dropping off my purchases at home, I went to the Fish Barrel, the tavern I went to last time and met the guys and Sully, to get lunch. I got the roasted chicken with bread. For the most part, I was eating in peace at one of the tables outside, enjoying the fresh air and the relaxation of a day off. That is until I was approached by three women. 'Oh, good Lord, why is it always the women?' I lamented. Pretending that I didn't notice them, I continued eating until they spoke to me.

* * *

 **Narrator PoV**

"Where is he?" The heiress of Themis was looking around for someone. She went to the castle to ask around, but without any luck. Lissa didn't know where he was, and Chrom said that he didn't have work today so she was a little more than stumped. She was having a hard time, until she heard a giggle that followed the voice of a certain deep voiced warrior. She turned towards the Fish Barrel to see Eric talking to the sisters of House Athenia. She scoffed in disappointment.

"-You must be so smart! And strong, too," the eldest sister purred, feeling his bicep. "Would you come to my rescue if I were captured by those dreadful Plegians?"

Maribelle looked like she was ready to throw up. 'Even he wouldn't fall for such words,' she internally huffed. Listening more closely, she heard his low, gentle laugh amongst the chatter of the townspeople. Though she wouldn't say it was so much gentle as it was uncomfortable. "Of course," he said. "It wouldn't be too good if Gangrel had women like you in his clutches." She saw him leave his seat, trying to scurry away. Or at least give himself some space. "Ladies, if you wouldn't mind."

* * *

 **Eric PoV**

I bowed to the women leaving, finally relieved that I got out of there. I notice Maribelle beside one of the fruit stalls and against my better judgement, for some reason I walk up to her. "Well, hello there, Maribelle. What brings you here today?"

I bow to her slightly, which at least negated the frown she had initially. "I just decided to take a stroll through the plaza. Though since you're here, I suppose I can ask you of this one request."

"Go ahead."

"Tonight is the annual Summer Harvest dance and my father is hosting this year. It's a celebration for the nobility to dance and enjoy the plentiful harvest."

Easily, I put two and two together. "I take it that you wish for me to be your escort?"

"Not necessarily," she said. "It's simply that I figured you, one of nobility himself, would benefit from attending a function such as this."

"Alright, what bet did you lose?"

She turned her head in confusion. "I beg your pardon?"

"You have been totally repulsed by me ever since we met, and now you're inviting me to a party. So my only conclusion is that either you lost a bet, or you want to drag me under the bus."

"What?! That's preposterous!" she protested. "I wouldn't engage in such activities!"

I leaned my head forward. "Was it Lissa?"

The noblewoman simply shrunk in defeat. "...Yes."

"I don't even know what the details of that bet was and I don't care," I began, scratching my temple. "But if you don't want to go with me, then who is your date?"

Before she could say it, a certain rogue walked up to the two of us, sack of sugary goodies and all. I saw the sheer disappointment Maribelle had on her face as the man placed his arm on her shoulder. I could barely hold my composure to even speak my mind. "So… Type 2's your date?"

A tense silence was born before I burst out laughing, catching the attention of the other civilians around. I could barely keep my balance throughout my hysterical fit, the Themis native simply sighing in all of her lament.

"If you should know," Maribelle continued. "I did recommend you to my father to attend, so it would be a terrible move if you decided not to come."

That stopped my laughter real quick. Now she made it something I can't escape. I breathed out an annoyed sigh similar to her own. "Twist my arm, why don't you…"

"Your answer?"

"Fine." I raised my hand in front of me. "If I can at least get a date to come with me, THEN I'll go, how's that sound?"

Maribelle's face lit up slightly. "It sounds like we have a deal. I will send a coach to pick both you, your companion, and Virion at eight."

"Oh, right, Virion's a foreign noble. He's probably spent hours on his hair alone," I joked, earning a small inaudible snort from the noblewoman and a laugh from the thief. "I shall see you two tonight, then." I turn on my heel, making my way to the castle stables, then eventually one of the local tailors.

* * *

 **Narrator PoV**

Once Eric left and they knew for sure he was out of earshot, Maribelle wrenched herself away from the redhead. "Ugh, that was abhorrent!"

"Hey, look on the bright side, he took the bait."

"Quiet, you!" she snapped. "Just because I tolerate you doesn't mean we're on good terms." She crossed her arms and turned away from Gaius. "Besides… I'm only doing this for her."

"Yeah… after everything that idiot's been oblivious to, she'll need all the help she can get."

One afternoon trek later, Eric made it to the west wing of the castle, where the cavalry stables were. On his right were many a wooden build of simple design, each having a gate and lock on the right hand side of the confining body of the stable. Many of the horses were either of a pristine white or a subtle brown, most likely the choices of steed for cavalrymen here in Ylisse.

Yawning lightly, it wasn't long before the one Eric had come here to find was in sight, she was currently tended to her white winged horse, a feed bag hanging from its head as she brushed the creature's form. "Hey, Cordelia," he said with a friendly smile, which caught her attention. She hadn't worn the same rigid steel armour she had before, instead opting for the leather clothing she always wore beneath it.

Her expression seemed to get brighter at those words of greeting, a smile graced her features. "Oh, hello, Eric," she replied cheerfully. "What brings you here? I thought it was your day off."

"Well, yeah, it is, though fate seems to have me glued here," he joked. "But for real though, there's something I came here to ask you."

"Ask away."

"Well…" Taking a slightly nervous breath, he scratched the back of his head, trying to find the words to use. "...see, Maribelle got me roped into going to this party for some Harvest Festival whatever."

"What, you want me to go disguised as you?" She asked with a laugh. "As good an actress I am, I don't think I could pull off a convincing you."

Amused, Eric raised an eyebrow. "Oh, you got jokes?" Answered by a small giggle, he pressed on. "Anyway, I made a deal with Maribelle that if I had someone to accompany me to this party, I would go. And, well… you were the first one I thought of going with."

The colour in Cordelia's face quickly became similar to her hair. "Wait… you're asking me out on a date?"

"More or less, I suppose." The young royal turned his head to the skyline, not even noticing Cordelia blushing profusely. Dense as rocks, he was, at least when it comes to himself. "Though I don't want you to feel obligated to do so, wouldn't want you to be caught between a rock and a hard place."

Cordelia, on the other hand, was too focused on her thoughts and the man in front of him to even give a thought out response. "You don't know the half of it…"

Fortunately, the Pandorian didn't hear her. "Hm?"

She caught herself out of her thoughts, shaking her head. "Um, what time is it?"

"Maribelle said eight, I think."

Cordelia hummed. "I mean, I could request early leave from Chrom, today is a fairly lenient day."

"So I take that as a yes?"

Once again, a light red tinted her porcelain features. "Yes, I will go with you."

"Great," Eric replied. "I'll meet with you at six before we head out to Themis. Maribelle is sending a coach for us."

"Okay," she nodded. "See you then." Turning on his heel, Eric left to go get himself ready, he only had five hours before getting his preparations done and he hadn't any time to waste. Cordelia did the last of her duties with haste before going to request early leave from her shift to prepare as well.

"This is perfect," both said to themselves.

* * *

 **Eric PoV**

"I really don't understand why I got roped into this," I sighed, tugging at my cuffs as we walked down a cobblestone road to Cordelia's home, spying it a few houses down.

"Please try to make the best of it, milord," Raven replied. "This is experience for you, your first noble function, so please be on your best behaviour."

"Yes, Mother," I said sarcastically. Formal clothing was never my forte, but there wasn't any other choice.

I wore a long sleeved white collared shirt with a black bow tie, accompanying it with black dress pants that were slightly wider at the bottoms like my hakama and leather shoes to match. A leather belt adorned my waist as if it held everything together, but over it all was a beautiful silk robe of a deep orchid colour with blood red trim billowing in the wind, the Pandorian brand on the centre of the piece. Rather than leave my hair in it's natural state, I tied most of it back, leaving a single bang in front of my left eye as the rest fell behind in a Chon'sinese ponytail. In my hand, a cane.

Raven wore a lilac shirt with an upward collar, three thin violet streaks going down the midline. Unlike myself, he wore black hakama pants that widened out from the top to the bottom and a baby blue sash, holding Uramasa. He also wore a coat over his shoulders, although it was sleeveless and completely white, only entertaining my brand on the back and on the anterior of his shoulders.

"So this is Cordelia's place, huh?" I thought aloud before walking up to the door and using the ornament on it to knock. Standing behind me at the bottom of the stairs, Raven nodded to me, which gave me a little bit of a confidence boost. Unfortunately, it went out of the window when I saw the mountain of muscle open the door on the other side. He even dwarfed me, standing at 6'8" at a MINIMUM. His narrowed red eye matched my gaze and tried to fight it, the other was a mere glass orb meant as a replacement. If the broad scar over it said anything, it was that he was a retired war veteran.

"How can I help you?" the giant boomed in a voice that would make any other man tremble. But not me.

"Good evening to you, sir. My name is Eric Halcón del Pandora, pleased to meet you," I said with a bow. "I take it you are Cordelia's father?"

"Yes, though my name is Egil. So you're the one Cordelia speaks of so highly," he huffed, seeming disinterested. With a cock of his head over his shoulder, he called for the redhead. "Cordy, your boyfriend is here!"

"Eh?" I sweatdropped, processing the statement before a voice responded, stating that she had yet to finish up. Huffing once more, he invited both Raven and I inside the nice two-storey home, making me think that a soldier's salary isn't bad at all.

"Hawk."

I blinked. "I beg your pardon?"

"Hawk. Your name," he replied. "Halcón is Pandorian for hawk, isn't it?"

"Yes," I replied, equal parts respectful and embarrassed.

"Listen, just because you are of royal blood doesn't mean that your actions can be excusable in all circumstances," he said bluntly. "You will be no less than a gentleman with my Cordy, understand?"

"I hadn't planned otherwise."

"A simple "yes" would suffice," Egil sighed. It wasn't too long before we approached a tall door of dark oak, squares carved into the surface to give it depth. "Now, care to join me in my study? I have some things to discuss with you."

Closing my eyes in acceptance, I took a step closer before Egil lifted a hand. "Just you, Hawk. Your...retainer can wait outside."

"Fair enough. Raven, would you?" Raven accepted reluctantly, he followed through by giving a glance to tell him to be on guard.

Closing the door behind him after I entered, Egil took his seat behind his desk while I took a seat to face him. Our eyes met with unwavering might, tension and silence building between the two of us. He scratched his five o'clock shadow with a harrumph, exhaling deeply before he got his first few words out to me.

"Hawk…" he began. "Now that we are alone, I have something to say to you."

"What is it, sir?" The only answer I got was the man rising from his chair and moving around his desk, standing tall before me.

Only to clap both hands on my cheeks.

"Thank you. Thank you, thank you!"

"Huh?" I asked dumbfoundedly.

"This is amazing!" Egil laughed as he threw his hands up in the air.

"Can I please get some context?"

Egil finally seemed to register my words. "I've never seen my Cordy this happy in years! First with that prince she'd been bawling over, then her knight sisters being so mean to her, my baby's smiles had been so few and far between." Pausing, he ran a hand through his hair. "But ever since you came around, she's spoke about you every day, and she's never stopped smiling. Thank you for being the sunshine in my Cordy's life."

"Um, you're welcome, sir," I replied, though all I could think was 'What just happened?'

"Call me Egil," he jumped, making way back to his seat. "So where do you see yourself in the next few years with my daughter?"

Before I could say a word, fortunately, Raven opened the door. "Sorry, sir Egil, milord. Lady Cordelia is prepared. And in timely fashion to boot; the coach has arrived."

Egil lifted a hand. "Shall we?" We left the study to go back to the front door, and I swore that all thoughts or words were caught in my throat.

Her long red hair draped over her left shoulder in a magnificent braid, framing her perfect porcelain face that had nary a drop of makeup on. Red was definitely her favourite colour and she pulled it off amazingly, the dress she wore hugged her body before reaching below her waist, the bottom widening and reaching down to her ankles.

She looked absolutely breathtaking, literally had me breathless. All I could think was "Wow."

"You really clean up nicely," Cordelia told me. "I hope I wasn't too long."

"Actually, just in time, Lady Cordelia," Raven said before opening the front door to reveal the horse drawn wagon available for out transport. Meanwhile, like a stricken fool, I stood still in time before a firm hand pushed me from behind.

"Go on," Egil said. "The night isn't going to enjoy itself." With that little boost, I took Cordelia's arm in mine as I walked her towards the carriage, Raven following close behind.

It only took us an hour and a half to reach the heiress's place for the party, and once we got there, oh boy, did a Themis man introduce us well, more than I even expected. "Presenting to all, Lord Eric Halcón del Pandora and Lady Cordelia of the Ylissean Guard!" Walking into the well populated banquet hall, we made quite a scene as Cordelia walked on my left side while Raven stood on my right behind us, secretly soaking in all the attention we got as he took my cane, both Cordelia and I got our fair share of jealous glares as we walked out onto the dance floor, hearing numerous statements from the young noblewomen.

Ignoring them, I faced the woman in front of me, her eyes shining as she smiled lightly as I grasped her hand while placing the other above her hip. The first few notes flew through the air, and Cordelia and I were swept into another place, almost completely lost in the moment. The redhead twirling beneath my hand was a sight to behold; she was a vision that many men would dream to have.

A slight glance in the direction of the music's origin allowed me to see Raven speaking to the orchestra along with Duke Themis, and with a nod exchange with the swordsmaster, I was ready.

"Ahem!" Duke Themis called. "If I may, our wonderful guests from Pandora have a slice of their culture to show to us. If you may," he finished, gesturing to me.

"Do you know how to… flamenco?" I asked Cordelia.

"Hardly."

"Then follow my lead." I let out a cadence of two claps, cuing the music.

 **(RST: Gerudo Valley, Flamenco Mix(not that hard to find))**

 **Deadpool: Man, what's with your boner for Gerudo Valley?**

 **The Fell Dragonite: It's really good, shut up.**

The first few notes of the guitar strung, and I was already beginning, quickly putting castanets before raising one arm skyward and another across my chest, clicking the instruments and stepping in rhythm to the intro. Taking this nonverbal cue, Cordelia spun around while waving her arms fluidly and deftly, as if she had cast a trance on someone.

We met our gazes finally, neither one of us missing a beat. I move around her form with smooth transition, twirling with grace as she spun her arms, writing imaginary words in the air of the most practiced cursive any penman could accomplish. I placed my hands on her hips as she swayed them with equal parts purity and seduction, before she turned around and pushed away from me, holding onto my arm to continue to the next part of the dance.

Clasping my hand in her own and placing my free one above her hip once more, we fall into a little bit of salsa dancing, her steps matching mine perfectly. Kicking things up a little more, I twirl her before extending her outward, then pulling her back in to lead her into a dip. Our faces were but mere inches away from one another, the heat in my face was growing fast, I was almost certain Cordelia could tell. I pulled her back up and turned her so that her arms draped over my shoulders from behind, her dainty hands in mine. Stepping in rhythm, our movements were in perfect sync before I twirled myself, letting go of her before she and I decided on the big finish. Leaping into my arms, I sent her up into the air and suspended her, eliciting many oohs from the crowd before launching her up into the air and catching her in her descent, finishing with one final dip as the music ended.

Applause filled the banquet hall as I escorted Cordelia from the floor to the buffet table and procured us two glasses of champagne for each of us. Once we found a seat, we struck up quite the conversation, after I praised her dancing, of course, sharing the tale of my month away from the Shepherds before fighting Gangrel. Before I could finish it, however, a man walked up to the table, and I immediately saw the disgust in Cordelia's eyes, and I didn't blame her, considering who it was.

"I thought I smelled wine and haughty derision," I said under my breath before meeting the man's gaze. He was only a few years older than myself, four or five at most, and from many a noblewoman, it's said he was quite the looker. "How may I help you, Nathaniel?"

"Ah, how you wound me, Eric," he replied in mock offence as he kissed Cordelia's hand in greeting, the latter disgusted, but not showing it. "I'm sure you know my title, or at least my full name."

"Yes, Nathaniel Antillus, how could I forget," I continued with a forged smile. "It's only been, what, three, maybe four years since I saw you last?" I still kept up my facade, noticing the other men of his coming closer ever so subtly. "But I digress. Any business you have with me? I assume you and your friends would like to discuss with me."

"MASTER Antillus to you, you uncultured swine," he spat, now sporting a scowl. "Now listen here. My family has played an important role in the workings of our nation's politics, we were even Lady Emmeryn's right hand! And you dare address me with such impudence?"

"Well, I would address you with the respect your title deserves had you actually deserved it," I continued without missing a beat. The music had long since stopped, and all eyes at this point were trained on us. "Outside of blood, you are by no means a Noble. You're not even a dog."

"And you would know about nobility?!" Antillus hissed. "I know of you! You were simply a wandering vagabond with little to your name before you just so happened to come upon Prince Chrom by luck!"

Cordelia was going to launch herself to fight him before I stopped her. Glancing at Raven, I see him leaning on a nearby pillar before he nodded to me, and I to him. "Is that all you know?" I stood up. "If that's the case then you know very little. Or did you just so happen to completely miss my name when the herald announced it?"

There was a brief, but tense silence in the hall before the Duke spoke up. "Lord Eric is a guest in my household and you will treat him with the respect he deserves!"

Nathaniel looked like he had seen a ghost. "Lord…?"

"That's right," I said in a low voice. "Or if I were to give you my full title; Lord Eric Halcón del Pandora, otherwise known as king and ruler of the nation by the same name. You don't know what I've gone through, you don't know what it is that made me who I am, but what you should know is that I've experienced more in a week than you've experienced in your entire pampered life. I've lost BOTH my parents in battle and found both their bodies at my feet. I was threatened with assassination and forced to live on my own from the time I was six, and have travelled every corner of the world constantly training to get where I am. And most importantly, I have NEVER used my position or title for means of power unlike you, Antillus," I spat that last part, making him wipe his face. "for personal gain. So if ANYBODY should be telling me about nobility… it sure as hell isn't you."

Applause slowly erupted from the crowd, much to Antillus' ire, before he had enough and shot me with a blast of fire. The crowd burst into screams at the figurative sucker punch, and before the guards could do anything, his men attacked from all sides. Cordelia, ready to stain her gloves red, ended up being held back by Raven, the redhead meeting one of Raven's few serious faces.

"You needn't worry," he said. "Milord wanted that to happen. Now the real show begins."

As I got up, I rolled out my neck slowly. "That fire spell was absolutely pathetic," I huffed. "Not even my clothes were damaged."

"I see," he said as we circled each other, I, more so lazily. "Well, then let's try a different tactic." Suddenly, he grabbed a small dagger from one of his thugs and held Cordelia hostage, the whole hall gasping in unison. "Now then, what will you do?"

While startled, Cordelia wasn't necessarily afraid. She must have saw the smirk on my face to know that I have the situation locked down. "One… two… ...seven."

Nathaniel tilted his head in confusion. "I beg your pardon?"

"Including you, there are seven men. The average stabbing speed for a person is around six to eight kilometres an hour, and you have a distance of maybe a foot from Cordelia's neck and the tip of your blade. So that's roughly a tenth of a second that she has before her throat is cut."

"What are you doing?! Where is the fear?!"

"I'd like to make a bet with you, escoria," I began. "If I can stop you from stabbing her AND take out all of your thugs, then you let her go and you leave."

"And if you don't?"

The wolf finally bared his fangs. "You can fight me armed, however, I will be unarmed."

Nathaniel, as I expected, took the bait. "Alright then. I'll play along."

I flipped a coin, signifying that the landing of the silver metal would kick off the bet. Everyone watched with bated breath as the coin descended, until it clinked on the ground.

"Have at you!" Antillus' hand dropped into Cordelia's neck, the woman's head going limp. Screams of terror filled the hall before the redhead turned slowly towards her captor. "Gotcha!" she laughed.

Opening his hand, he saw that the dagger had vanished, and he was angry when he saw that it was in my hand. "What are you all doing?!" he yelled at his men. "Take him down!"

The thugs stood still before they all collapsed, much to the nobleman's horror. Casually, I punched out at my right, taking down the last one. "Oops, must have missed one." I brushed off my fist. "Guess you win then."

He simply pushed Cordelia away before grabbing his sword, taking his stance. "Here lies Eric Pandora, a washed up king who unfortunately was killed by bandits. Saddened by his death, Lady Cordelia would come to me in all of her grief, and she would find solace in my arms."

"You can try, but I doubt it will be easy."

Antillus ran at me with a cry, and swiped air once he missed the first strike. Crazed by the will to get my blood on his blade, he continuously missed, getting him angrier. "You know what they say. "If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate him"."

"Die, you bastard!" he screamed one final time before stabbing once more, only to have his blade break at the contact of my hand. The limb began to buzz with electricity before Antillus realized his grave mistake.

"Look like you were trained well," I said before launching a magic-powered punch right into his gut. His form keeled over my arm as I whispered in his ear "...but you weren't trained good enough."

Antillus figure fell to the ground in a twitching heap, and once the guards got control again, many nobles praised me and thanked me, including Duke Themis. "Thank you for restoring order, milord. However, I am unable to continue the celebrations due to my guests being frightened."

"Not at all, Duke Themis," I replied. "We thought it'd be best to leave anyways. Thank you for your hospitality."

As we returned from the party, Cordelia and I took our steps up to her home. She flicked the braid from her face, letting it fall down her shoulder blades. "I really enjoyed myself tonight."

"Yes, because being a bargaining chip is definitely the textbook definition of fun," I joked, earning me a playful punch to the shoulder.

"You know what I mean," she giggled. The wind blew in our ears, the only sound that kept it from completely being silent.

"I hope you enjoy your night, Cherry." No later than when I finished that sentence, a pair of lips crashed against mine, her rosy lips carrying the taste of her namesake. It felt like an eternity had passed in those few seconds, but when we both pulled back, I saw Cordelia in a different light than before. I couldn't look at her for more than a second before I felt my face heat up instantly. Hoping she didn't see my face, I turned away, taking a deep breath. "Goodnight, Cherry."

"Goodnight, Eric." she said as she entered her home, leaving me and Raven to go home ourselves.

* * *

 **Tychon: Ooh, fluff? I approve!**

 **FD: It took me a while to do this all but I got it done! I hope everyone enjoys. Fell Dragonite out!**


	3. Vs Reaping Cloth

**Fell Dragonite: Naga almighty, I'm sorry! Damn.**

 **Lancer: We've all been waiting for you to finish the chapter!**

 **Tychon: *trying to hide anime tears* I'm guess I'm happy that you're here again and you finished the chapter. ...N-not that I wanted to read it or anything! ...I just thought that you would want a view or two for this subpar story, that's all!**

 **FD: Geez, if you guys are this anxious about it now, just wait until we get into the later parts. You'll fight for my head on a pike before long. Anyway…**

 **We don't own anything.**

* * *

For the last few hours, puffs of misty air escaped our lips as we travelled through the harsh Feroxi terrain, the century slowing in momentum with the snow's unrelenting fall. Many a soldier found it hard to move unabated up north, the strictly monotonous weather bearing down rather heavily as the light in the sky fell. Despite his appearance, Raven was a tough son of a bitch. There existed a small select few that could defeat the Titan of Death, save for perhaps a certain combat-addicted king whom he served.

The cold, however, was one of those few things.

"ACHOO!" For the umpteenth time, Raven wiped his face promptly, tucked underneath a coat of fur to keep warm.

"Aw, come on, Raven," I laughed. "This bit of hardship builds character. Sure, it's a bit nippy, but I figured you'd be okay with this weather."

"T-t-to be fair, milord-d," Raven began between shivers. "Xeldross in Pand-d-dora, while high in altitude, is a f-fairly warm climate, temperate a-at worst."

Unfortunately, the conditions did not change Vaike's obnoxiously loud presence. "Nippy my ass! I'm freezing mine back here!"

"And who's fault was it to NOT wear a shirt?"

This, surprisingly, served to shut the man up. "Touché."

"We're almost to Ferox anyway, so stop complaining! Got a half hour left!" I roared over the wind.

And as promised, the harsh trek was soon greeted with a crimson clad woman with familiar blonde locks and a stone castle. Sharing a handshake and a few words, the now reigning Khan gave the men and I a place for the night before heading out to the western port the next morning.

A week passed and we marched west to Port Styx, finding a boat there waiting for us, probably courtesy of Basilio. My knowledge led me to believe that the boat had to cost him quite the pretty penny, as Ferox had no boats, nor did they have any seaworthy wood to build them with. Best not to look a gift horse in the mouth though.

I take a sharp breath of the fine sea air, exhaling deeply as I felt the moist early morning breeze flow on my skin. "Okay, everyone, this is where we stop walking. From here, we're going to be sailing, so I hope you all have your sea legs," I joked before flicking a bit of hair from my face. "Get the stuff on board and we'll set sail soon." I take up two crates of food on my shoulders and walk with them onto the vessel, everyone following suit. I saw Vaike looking around, and anyone who knows him would know exactly what he was looking for. After placing down the crates on the deck carefully, a grin makes its way on my face, and a large log, into my hands.

"Damn, my sword doesn't chop this firewood easily. If only someone had an axe." Continuing the little act, I turn my head in mock surprise. "Oh, Vaike, can you help me chop some firewood?"

"Sure, man, sure. Just give me a minute." He lifted a few things in a frantic manner, and while this amused me for a bit, we had a mission to attend to. Finally after minutes of searching, Vaike found the weapon beneath a coil of rope somehow. "Keep a leash on your damn axe and get on board," I sighed exasperatedly.

I did a quick site sweep to see if anyone left anything behind, Raven helping me as well. A good five minute check was thorough enough to let us know everything had been packed. Still, I noticed the ebony-haired swordsmaster with his arms crossed and his brows knitted, caught in the clutches of his own thoughts.

"Something wrong, Raven?" I asked, moving a stray lock from my face. "You seem to be very distracted."

Raven simply sighed. "If only but a little, milord. I just have a lot of questions with this mission. One such being that how is it that Lord Chrom knew of this happening? Yes, he said he had spies there, but after the war, he'd have no reason to. They were just rebuilding their ranks. Like I said, they'd have no benefit in provoking war, not when they're this weakened."

A hand found its way to my chin. "Come to think of it, you do have a point. This just doesn't seem right."

"Still, it is a mission that must be carried out." Raven put out his arm to make way for me to the boat. "Lead the way, milord."

I made my way onto the boat Mei Ling following next under my retainer's care. The chatter of men drowned out the crashing waves on the dock, and with a single shot of wind from my fingertips, the rope was cut and we were on our way.

I looked up into the sky. After about half a day, there were no rain clouds-or any clouds for that matter-in the afternoon sky, the late summer sun beginning its slow curving descent. The slight wobble that came with the waves was quite soothing.

Well, for most of us.

Out of the hundred of us, only truly a handful had fallen to the clutches of seasickness, their stomachs turning over and letting loose their contents over the edge of the boat. But it wasn't none of my business as I was making the crow's nest the king's nest. Stretching my arms above and behind my head, I tucked my headband over my eyes and tried to get a little bit of a nap. I yawned, more so out of boredom than fatigue, definitely feeling more mellow than I have in years perhaps.

Well, until Raven killed it a few minutes into my cat nap. "Milord!" he called from the deck down below.

"Oh, good Naga, what?" I asked. "Better be good 'cause I was just in the middle of something."

"A report from western Ferox."

I nodded, wiping at the imaginary dust on my pants. "That's good enough. What is it?"

"It's been issued by Khan Basilio," he said as I jumped down from the crow's nest. "For you."

I took the note from the shorter man, flipping it open.

 _I'm not sure how far you are, probably just left the port. I just thought you'd need to know that this task isn't any joke. This Plegian woman not only has a lot of muscle behind her, but our spies in the south have figured out that they've mobilized and started sailing just as quickly as you have, if not before. They left the Plegian coast thirty-six hours ago, better hurry._

 _-Basilio_

I gripped the paper with the strength of a vice. "Damn it... I can't catch a break, can I?"

"What isn't good, Your Lordliness?" Donnel asked, overhearing my breathy curse.

"We're behind a day. They're already ahead of us," I growled, walking past the village boy and pacing closer to the stern end of the vessel. "Sailing will probably take us weeks to get there, and we won't make it in time. But with a bit of wind magic and some creativity, crossing to Valm will probably take us only a day or two. I'll start us off, and you might want to hold onto something or brace yourselves so you're not going overboard."

Doubt filled the boat in the form of tilted heads and questions, all of which Raven promptly replied with a "trust milord", others just did what they were told with little more than a half-convinced shrug. "Now then, let's get on with it, shall we?"

Within my palm, small wisps of pale green swirled and twisted violently before gathering itself into one solidarity. The small roars from the magical construct ended instantly once I crushed it in my hand and punched outward towards the sails.

"Arcwind!" The once controlled zephyr, now a wild torrent pushing at the cloth and threatened to tear the sail from its hooks, carried the vessel forward at a speed that belied its size, causing some of the soldiers to fall back. "I told you guys to brace yourselves. This is going to be a bumpy ride! Whoo-hoo!"

During our travel the shifts were rotated regularly, not only to maintain going at a constant rate, but also so that no one was burning themselves out. We were moving a lot faster than expected, because by only a little over a day, possibly twenty five hours, Valm Harbor came into view. I stood at the bow, looking off in the distance. "See that, everyone? Valm Harbor straight ahead. We'll dock soon, and remember. We're in foreign territory, so be ready for anything. Get your gear on." The Valm coastline continued to grow and grow until finally the boat was wrangled in and softly hit solid stone. Once we docked a short while after, we got the horses off, placing all of the non-battle gear in the carriages behind three of them. The bulk of the horses were for battle, so only five other horses were available for carriages carrying people. Speaking of which, the port was not of any grand appearance whatsoever, though it still had to take the second place medal in that department compared to Ferox. Valm Harbor was a beach that led into a stone-paved landing, filled with crates and carts of various material, not much there to catch the eye of travellers.

I sighed with amusement at the fact that the single stone dock that stretched out to the waters too deep for man to walk was in perfect elevation with the ship's deck, which made it leagues easier to unload everything and simply walk straight onto the dock.

Moving past that, we pushed further west across the Valmese continent, and it was little doubt that we were in Chon'sin the moment we docked. Such proof would be the landscape itself. The trees were unlike anything one could see in Ylisse, the cool green colour of the dense Ylissean forest was replaced in favour of the vibrant fluttering pink of the sakura trees that took root all over Chon'sin.

A beautiful sight to behold, truly, but now wasn't necessarily a time for admiring the scenery. We continued our march up a plateau, rosy petals raining down on a soft flutter before we made it to an open space underneath the canopy. One thing that caught my eye was that there was a fire pit nearby, in the middle of said opening, in fact.

Campsite, it must have been. Had to say, it was a novel idea to set up a camp here, and so adhering to this thought, I followed suit.

Once we all set up camp, I got to fishing with Mei Ling. Being high up on the plateau meant I had to ride the bear back down to the dock, or at least close by to make the catch needed. Bringing back an entire net's worth, I'd say one large blackfin for every two or three men we had. We roasted it over the fire, and what a filling meal it was, certainly adding some kick to a rather bland diet of rations; stale bread and dried game meat. But hey, unlike most of my squad, I wasn't complaining.

* * *

 **Narrator PoV**

Gone was the brightness of day as the veil of night fell over the Chon'sinese lands. The camp was navigable only by the grace of the torches the bordered the site and the beams of moonlight that poked their way through the canopy of rose.

Soft steps could be heard as the gentle swordsmaster strolled around the perimeter of the camp, keeping watch as his lord lay sleeping in his tent. An eyebrow twitched as an obnoxious snore broke through the night silence, without a doubt originating from Vaike's tent.

"Wake up the entire camp, why don't you?" Raven sighed, shaking his head. Despite his current disdain, he hadn't much against the fighter, rather he was one of the few who saw him as more than simply a braggart with the ability to swing an axe. He chalked that up to his unique ability to read people. His gaze eventually finding its way skyward, he stared at what few stars he could with the cover of petals above him.

The swordsmaster was fidgeting with something in hands, not his blade, but something else of metallic make. A flute, one that had been given to him by his mother on his sixteenth birthday. He hadn't much time to practice as of late, as he'd been on the road for a long while and his patrols demanded far more attention back in Ylisse, where many of their camp locations were out in the open. Adding on his conflicted thoughts on the task at hand, he threw caution to the wind and put the instrument to his lips.

 **(Play If I Were a Bird from Code Geass)**

A calm whistle started off what could only be described as a beautiful thing that could lull even the angriest person to hold a content and serene spirit. The instrument was played with expert precision, his fingers danced along the piece of metal, as if they were a troupe of ten performing their routine out of complete improvisation. Even the caster himself was soothed by his own spell, as he had not noticed a demure pinkette with a knack for dancing take her seat on a nearby stump to observe the man's lovely song.

A light applause caused the swordsmaster to jump out of his skin and stop playing. "Oh, I-I'm sorry," Olivia sputtered, her usual blush creeping across her cheeks. "I just thought it was a lovely song to wake up to."

"My apologies for waking you, Miss Rince," Raven replied with his trademark smile.

"Miss Rince, that's my mother…" The dancer couldn't help but giggle at Raven's nature, so kind, so respectful and so formal. "Call me Olivia."

"Right," he laughed. "Olivia."

A dainty hand reached up to one of the low hanging branches, gently stroking the soft petals. "You… p-play the flute so well, I've never heard anyone so expertly wield one."

"Well, my mother always made sure to instill within me some of the finer arts, being close to the royal family and all."

Raven blew a stray hair from his face before continuing with a laugh leading his words. "Ironic, considering milord's lack of higher upbringing, but with all he's gone through, it's more than acceptable."

"Speaking of which, what exactly happened to him?" the dancer asked as she stood up, folding an imaginary crease in her pants. "He's not like most kings or nobility I've come across."

"Well, see," Raven began with a sigh. "Milord was more or less orphaned as a child, both parents killed by the hand of Cecil J. Gangrel."

"The Mad King?"

"The very same." Raven put away his instrument before continuing. "He was very young, and his subjects blamed him for all. Aside from my family and a select few close to the house family, he was subject to violence and hatred from his own people."

"That's terrible."

"Alas, that was only the half of it. He'd endured it all until one night where a man tried to assassinate the poor child. Much to the house's sadness and grief, he left his country that night and hasn't returned since. His was a life of a nomad from that point forward, and vengeance was his fuel."

Olivia's face wilted into a frown. "I see. Such an experience would change anyone."

Raven looked up to the sparkling sky. "Any lesser man would have broken. Gone insane. But not my king."

"Chalk it up to immense willpower, I suppose."

"Or unparalleled bullheadedness," Raven laughed. "Still, it's that same bullheaded conviction of his that had pulled him through such perils."

Another sigh escaped his mouth. "The Gallos have been serving the royal house for decades, and my father liked the king and queen very much, so he figured as his last deed to the two, he would lead the country until it came for Lord Eric to rule again."

"And if I had to guess, you left to find him," Olivia guessed.

Raven nodded as he walked closer to her. "Yes, and what better time than at the rising action of his quest? I believe it wasn't too long before I met...you…"

Olivia jumped at Raven's sudden mood change, not used to the usually gentle-smiling swordsmaster wearing a remorseful frown. "W-what's wrong, Raven?! Did I… did I say something wrong?"

"Not at all," he said as he tried to put on a forced smile, which the demure dancer saw right through. "Anyway, we should make it back to camp."

"No," she replied with her rare confidence. "Not until you tell me what's wrong."

A groan unceremoniously escaped Raven's mouth. "Do you remember meeting the Shepherds and I in the midmire of Plegia?"

Olivia tapped her chin in thought. "Yes, amongst a path of corpses. Not a single sign of combat from any of them except for one person who was nearly covered from head to toe in splattered blood."

This time, Raven put on a sad smile, as if he expected her to finish his following question. "And guess who that blood spattered warrior was?"

"You killed so many men by yourself?" she asked before seeing the man before her tremble.

"I killed so many UNWILLING men. Men who didn't want to fight for their evil king anymore. They… they wanted peace and I didn't do anything except murder them in cold hard rage! In that moment, I became something I despised above all else, a reflection of the evils that forced Eric out of his halidom, nothing but vengeance and hatred!"

His tears all but ceased once he felt himself in a hold. Warm and tender, he felt nearly all of his sadness and pain dissipate instantly.

"It's okay," Olivia cooed, patting his head and stroking his dark silky hair. "Our emotions get the better of us, I'm well aware of that. The point being that I know you'd never even think of hurting innocent or unwilling people with your head on straight. But above all else…" She moved his face to face her own. "Your actions when you aren't in your best state of mind are not what define you. You're not a bad person because you had a bad day. You're Raven: the man who never ceases to make people happy, the man who the town children adore because he's so kind. The man who's loyalty is rivalled by none. That's who you are in my eyes."

A small twinkle of surprise shone in the swordsman's eyes before they softened, met with a thankful and gentle smile gracing his features. Olivia, on the other hand, realized what she said and began to blush a little.

Her blush tripled in intensity once she realized how close they were from each other, their faces just inches apart. She didn't know why, as if some force had been pushing her head from behind, but she had been slowly inching towards the swordsmaster's face. "Raven, I…"

A sudden twang met Raven's ear. "Get down!"

Raven tugged hard on Olivia's shoulder and pulled her out of the way, an arrow missing her head by just a hairsbreadth and embedding itself in a tree past them. Certainly a close call, and just so it didn't happen again, Raven traced the angle of the arrow's trajectory back to the source, and indeed, he found a lone archer hiding in the canopy, the figure taking off in the opposite direction.

"Wait here," Raven commanded before taking off in pursuit of the sniper.

Raven took to the trees, moving silently as the night itself as not a single branch creaked beneath his weight. He could definitely see that the sniper had some agility and a head start, but Raven's superior speed closed the distance before Raven was right behind the attempted killer. "Going somewhere?"

Without warning, he grabbed the man around his neck with his arm, putting on intense pressure with the chokehold. "Besides hell?" In a split second, Raven drew Uramasa and slit the person's exposed throat, letting him bleed out before dropping his body.

What shocked him most was when the body landed on the ground, Raven took sight of the back piece of the sniper's tunic: six eyes connected by a pair of lines that intersected and crossed one another at the base.

"Damn and blast it!" Call it a gut feeling or whatever have you, but something told Raven to just take a look further east and see where the now dead soldier tried to flee to. Upon making it to the open cliff, he saw finally what it is that they were sent for.

Many a tent and torch decorated the dock below, with several ships lining the coast. The campsite was extensive, stretching from one side of the harbour to the other.

"They've already arrived..." Raven rushed back to where he left Olivia, told her what he saw, and got back to camp as quickly as possible. Weaving through the camp, he found his lord's tent. Normally, Raven would have had the respect to knock or something, but damn respect when the situation called for urgency. So the retainer burst open the tent and began moving Eric, trying to wake him up.

The king did stir, eliciting a string of curses from Raven as he'd forgotten his lord was such a heavy sleeper. If it had to come to it, Raven would wake him up the only way he knew how.

A sharp knocking sound reverberated through the tent just as the blue blood shot up, his head held in pain. "Gawdsdammit!"

"Apologies, milord, but your pain can wait. This is urgent."

"How urgent?" Eric asked, now a little more concerned than annoyed.

"The mercenary band we've been tailing has made the dock, not even a quarter day's march from us," Raven said with nary a hint of hesitation.

Eric's eyes widened instantly. "Get everyone up, pack up the tents and let's go. We haven't much time to waste, we must make our way to Kan'to as quickly as possible."

* * *

 **Eric PoV**

A half-tired camp full of soldiers made the way to Kan'to by daybreak, arriving at the front gates of the city. The guards stood in front of us, wary of the group and I as they gave what I dubbed "The Frederick Sneer", though very few could pull it off like the great knight himself.

"Halt! What is your business here?" one of the guards demanded.

"We're a travelling band of merch-oh, fuck it, I need to speak to Say'ri. Business."

"We cannot grant an unknown man access to our city, let alone our nation's princess!"

"You're right, except I'm not a stranger, asshats."

The two guards eyed each other before they shared a hearty laugh, much to the confusion of all the Ylissean troops. "Only one man has the stones and lacks the wit to speak to us such a way!"

"Go on right ahead, Pandora," the second guard breathed out before opening the gates and letting us in.

The troops were in awe from what they saw around them. Many of them uttered phrases that attributed to the beauty of the Chon'sinese capital. And it was. I remember last time I was here, the dancing petals of cherry blossoms in the air, the exotic architecture. I spent much of my life with Chon'sinese influence, and to this day it's had a profound impact on my life and tastes. All of the structures paled in comparison, however, to one large building that stood tall, wide, and glorious, its dark maroon exterior marking itself as the centrepiece of Kan'to. "That must be Suzaku Castle," I said to myself. "Seems like they did some renovations."

Once we arrived at the palace doors, I turned to my troops before knocking. "Okay, we're going inside Suzaku Castle, and I want all of you to conduct yourselves in a proper and poised manner. If all else fails, do as I do."

I enter the palace, and I see a rather large man, about three inches taller than myself, wearing hakama pants and cotton gi, covered by lacquered plated armour. "Can I help you, sir?" he asks with a gruff voice and decently thick Chon'sinese accent.

"What's up? I need to speak to Say'ri, Lu'bei." A loud and thunderous boom sounded and every single one of the Ylissean forces face faulted, leaving Raven alone to simply sweatdrop at my demeanour.

"How dare you commit such disrespect?! That is Lady S-" He stopped midway, partially due to me addressing him by name and addressing Say'ri with no title. A second was all he took to peruse my face, I suppose once he saw the brand, he knew who I was as he began to chuckle heartily.

"Why, you. If it isn't the little scamp!" Taking me off guard, he got me in a one-armed headlock. "But you're not so little anymore! You've grown into a big man now!" he laughed out again before violently ruffling my hair.

"Hey, stop that!" I protested, my voice falling on deaf ears. "Not the hair ruffle, man..."

"Where have you been? You haven't been around here for ages," he asked before letting me free.

"I joined the Shepherds of Ylisse nearly a year ago," I said, fixing my hair. "Not important. Is Say'ri here? It's kind of urgent."

"Of course. Follow me." Taking the lead, Lu'bei took us to the throne room, just a little bit further down the main hallway. "Lady Say'ri! You have visitors," he said before hearing a firm "Enter." Not too long after, the dark oaken doors parted with an audible creak, and standing in front of the throne was a woman my age, a face of soft features framed by dark flowing hair. She wore an lacquer-armoured lavender gi of some sort with a long tailing robe-like bottom portion of black colour, along with sandals that came with light leg armour as well. She had two blades fashioned at her sides and donned a pure white headband.

And unlike Lu'bei, Say'ri recognized me instantly. "Eric, could that be you?!" she asked in a shocked tone, walking towards me. I put a hand at the back of my head. "Yep. Same old me."

She raised a brow. "Same old you in what manner? You grew by at least a foot and a half from the time I saw you last! And you were finally relieved of that awkward stage you were in when you hadn't much muscle to your name."

"It wasn't that bad," I sulked, much to the entertainment of the Ylissean witnesses.

"I defeated you in a challenge of strength when we were both twelve."

"Wrestling barely counts as a test of strength purely," I retorted. "But let us catch up later. We need to hold council, and fast."

"And why is that?"

"The threat that is coming to Kan'to, that's what. A force of ten thousand troops, and Lord Chrom of Ylisse caught wind of this. That's why we're here, to join forces and defeat them before things get worse."

Say'ri clicked her tongue. "Ah yes, I see. Lu'bei, send the Ylisseans to the garrison and make it back here with the Royal Court advisors."

"What a reunion this is," I sighed.

* * *

I sat at a table with Raven standing at my side, and joining me at the table were Say'ri, Lu'bei, and several other councilmen and councilwomen that I didn't know by name. Say'ri was at the head of the table, and I sat on the left side, Lu'bei on the right of her.

After what seemed like an eternity of silence and tense feeling, one decided to break the ice. "What is it that you called us here for, Lady Say'ri?" one of them asked, a stout, yet deep-voiced gentleman.

"It is about a threat that plans to hit Chon'sin, apparently they come from the eastern continent of Ylisse," she answered.

"This is a no mere bandit group or band of mercs, they dub themselves the Reaping Cloth," I finished. "My retainer had an encounter with one of them last night. One of their assassins wore a uniform with the Grimleal mark emblazoned on it. The encounter ended up having him find their camp, only half a day's march east of here, if they've started their day by now. Did you send scouts?"

Say'ri nodded. "Yes, and hopefully we can find something of use to formulate a plan to-"

A soldier with armour similar to the flying troops in Ylisse barged through the door, so I assumed that he was one of the scouts. "Lady Say'ri, Sir Lu'bei! I have dire news!" he said.

"What is it?"

"The... The enemy is larger than we thought."

Everyone blanched except for Raven and myself, an exasperated sigh in its place. "How?! It shouldn't have grown much larger since we sent the request overseas!" Say'ri shouted.

Raven and I both caught that last statement, our eyes making contact with one another. 'So it was her that brought us here, not Chrom's spies,' I said to Raven silently.

'I knew it was odd that Chon'sin would request for troops despite having their own to defeat this menace anyway.' Placing a hand on my shoulder, he shook his head. 'Best to keep quiet for now, milord, we need to figure out the ulterior motive behind it.'

'Right.' With that inner conversation finished, we turned our attention back to the news.

"How much larger is this threat?" Lu'bei asked.

"Exponentially so, sir. Their numbers... They've increased tenfold, sir."

"Tenfold?!" the swordswoman shrieked. "But that would mean that they are one hundred thousand strong! Even including the Ylissean aid, we're little more than five thousand!"

"Such a magnitude of troops they have over us," Lu'bei began. "The odds are all but against us. That's twenty-to-one, we can't face them in a straight fight, we'll be slaughtered."

An idea popped into my mind. "Or can we?" I asked with a wicked grin before taking out a charcoal pencil. The council looked at me like I grew a second head. "What does their army look like in terms of ranks?" I asked the messenger.

"They have a large amount of infantry, I'd say the bulk of it is. A small portion of it is mages and archers, but their cavalry is outright pathetic. The remaining scraps is in their cavalry."

"Interesting...!" I turned to the council and took out a map of Chon'sin, placing it on the table before us. "There's a large clearing where from they're coming from, they have to cross. That's where we will be standing in this position." I made sure to circle the clearing to start of the demonstration of my tactic. I drew out our ranks on the far end closest to Kan'to while the enemy was on the opposite end, approaching.

"What is this?" Lu'bei inquired.

"It's something I like to call "double envelopment". We have our cavalry rout theirs swiftly as possible to prevent our soldiers from being taken down on the flanks, so each cavalryman we have will have to be paired with some archer or mage of some sort." I drew out a pair of of units representing the cavalry on each tail end of the formation. "The key in this step is keeping a good fraction of our infantry and distance attackers on the flanks, ready to pounce at a moment's notice. Their infantry comes rushing in, so we need to get them to charge the front curved area by provocation. Heavily armoured units, along with myself, will be there at the very front. We let them push us back until they move down to a certain extent."

At this point, I have drawn out lines moving some of our troops on the side to close in. "From there, a signal is given and we close in the sides with the infantry on the flanks, attacking from three directions. Once the enemy's cavalry is done, our own will return to box them in.

Once I finished, the charcoal lines were in place to describe everything perfectly. "And once that happens, there's no escape for them. We send our entirety of our force to crush theirs."

"But what about their ranged offensive, such as their mages and archers?" a deep voice questioned me.

"That's the beauty of it. They can't try anything, not without risking killing more of their men. And when the time is right, I'll ride to pick off the rest and face their leader."

"Remarkable!" Say'ri said. "I think this plan will work. What say you, Lu'bei?"

He groomed his beard. "It's a risky plan, but we have no other. Besides, what's life without risks?"

"I hope you both have faith in it, because as the commander of the Chon'sinese military, you're running this maneuver, Lu'bei," I added.

"Wait, what?! Why can't you run it? You know it better than I."

"Because I'll be in battle, distracted by the fight. Say'ri will probably be fighting too, and you're a tactician yourself. You have good timing, so you'll know when to spring the trap. Now let's get going!"

"You're crazy," the first councilman huffed.

I turned my gaze to him at the sound of his voice. I could sense the shiver going down his spine once I cracked a wicked grin. "Damn straight I'm crazy."

* * *

Later that day, perhaps mid afternoon, even, me, Say'ri and the five thousand of us stood in the open field of Pi Gua, waiting for the onslaught of one hundred thousand making their way towards us. The setting had the occasional tree cluster aside from the open field of green, I took advantage of this by setting my bear down beside of of them. Our men were divided into three groups, each led by me, Say'ri, and Raven. Say'ri took the left wing, Raven the right, and I the centre.

Some of the our forces were hesitant. Not me. I was relishing every second of it. Not that wartime is ever good, but I missed this. A great fight. Better than being cooped up in an office all day, like Chrom.

Immediately, my mind jumps to the fact that Alice leads this all. I wanted to fight and end her myself, so naturally I'd leave the fray to confront her. Raven wouldn't accept anything else than to join me, and Vaike wanted a good fight just as much, so I'd all but conceded and let their wishes be fulfilled.

My inner thoughts gradually fade as I begin to hear the rumbling sound of countless footsteps trudging over the plateau that led into Pi Gua. "Get into position, everyone! This will be a battle for the history books!"

Once I said that, the Reaping Cloth that threatened Chon'sin stood before us, many a figure looming over the slight peak. The scout certainly wasn't joking around when it came down to numbers, though this did nothing to slow our starting momentum. The battle had just begun.

For the first time in a while, I had a shield in hand, placing it in front of me to protect myself as I attacked with my sword. The thunderstorm of boots rumbled the battleground as their forces continued straight for us, and not once did they try to break their formation. Perfect.

Their might soon came down upon me and my squad, but the iron wall that was the front line and I did not receive any damage as the plan continued to unfold, every slow step back making a noticeable difference. The large amount of infantry thought they had this fight on lockdown once they started making casualties.

Until Lu'bei made the call.

 _BOOOOM!_

A loud fireball burst in the sky, following it came what the Reaping Cloth could only recognize as their greatest downfall. Their vulnerable flanks were attacked, and they were trapped within the deadly square.

The double envelopement was tearing the Reaping Cloth's ranks apart easier than, well… cloth. My strategy caused chaos, and I'm guessing that Alice knew this.

I could imagine her ire.

Or better yet, I could go see it myself.

I called Mei Ling over with a whistle, and once she made it to the main battleground, I jumped out of the fray and hopped onto her saddle, Vaike's weight making itself known behind me.

"Hyah!" I spurred on the mammal eastward where I saw the blonde Plegian woman, charging her way at top speed, but it was before long that Raven made it beside me, sprinting with his arms behind him.

"Oh, Raven! You made it!" I laughed.

"Amusing, milord," Raven sighed, not willing to put up with my bullshit, to which I laughed heartily. "Now, where is this woman we're here to dispatch?"

"Hey, hey. As much as I would love to, we have to capture her. Killing her is not an option." I tugged on the reigns to turn Mei Ling to the left a little. "Speak of the devil, the bitch is up ahead."

Alice was within eyesight on her horse, watching her men get slaughtered. Target in sight now, I urged the bear to speed up while Raven, on the other hand, ditched running in favour for flying. A boom sounded as Raven zoomed through the air, a trail of pale green following his form as he flew. Wind magic, no doubt.

I had no doubt in my mind that she saw me, as she turned her horse around and tried taking off in the opposite direction. "Oh, no you don't!" I shouted, urging Mei Ling to pick up the pace once more. Gradually, we inch closer and closer until I make it side by side with her.

Balance is key here, I thought to myself.

I stand up on the bear's back and get myself righted for only a second before jumping off to kick Alice off of her horse. Crashing to the ground, her horse runs off and leaves her in her dust.

"Naga almighty, woman," I sighed as I sent Mei Ling away in the opposite direction. "Can't I enjoy at least a month without you trying to fuck it up?"

Panting her fatigue away, she raised her head and rested her hands on her knees. Her eyes shifted to both sides of my form, no doubt she took in that Vaike and Raven were allied against her.

A mirthy chuckle escaped her lips. "Well, well, handsome. Didn't expect to see you here."

With a slight impact of her fists, the brass knuckles she wore crackled and sparked furiously with blue electricity. "I hope our reunion doesn't become too reVOLTing."

I mentally and almost physically winced. "That was bad, even for my tastes."

* * *

 **FD: *dodge* Hey! What are *dodges again* you… *spins* STOP THROWING SHIT, I SAID I WAS SORRY!**

 **Tychon: How could you leave us hanging like that?! We were worried sick!**

 **FD: Deadpool, help!**

 **Deadpool: *sitting in corner* …..happy place. That DEMON can't get you in your happy place….**

 **FD: Dammit. Look, I won't take that long to write the next chapter hopefully, okay?! I've just been doing a lot of planning in the future!**

 **Lancer: Well, it better be good. I don't see him calming down anytime soon.**

 **Tychon: You promise?**

 **FD: As best I can.**

 **Tychon: …..fine.**

 **FD: Alright then. Dragons out.**

 **Lancer: Dragons out?**

 **FD: Yeah, after my namesake.**


	4. Triangle

**FD: And we're back with yet another chapter of Decisions!**

 **Deadpool: *wails loudly***

 **Saya: Hey, hey, it's okay, Wade. She'll never do it to you again.**

 **Deadpool: ….insane…. she's insane….**

 **FD: Still going through therapy with him, huh?**

 **Lancer: Yeah, she'll be done this session in about an hour.**

 **FD: Well, without any context, we shall go right in on the story!**

 **We do not own anything.**

* * *

The cries of war behind us, soldiers by the thousands fighting and dying, the clash of metal against metal were all drowned out by the crackle of electricity that flow through the bleach blonde's knuckle weapons. All three of us got into our respective fighting stances before I ditched my shield. The real wonder of it all was who would get to fight her first. Despite being fellow Shepherds who helped each other out, none of the three of us were too keen on double teaming the Plegian woman, preferring a one on one fight. I didn't want anyone getting in my way of a fun fight, Raven prefers to dispatch his foes swiftly and without interruption, and Vaike… he just thought he could take her on his own.

Alice herself was waiting, throwing a few stray punches to warm herself up. "So then, who's first?"

"Let's go blondie!" Vaike jumped at the chance, his muscular arm swinging his axe through the air. The weapon cut through the air like a buzz saw, but unfortunately did nothing once Alice knocked it away with her brass protected hand.

"Ah…" she sighed. "...a volunteer."

Vaike didn't even have the time to dodge or react as he was sent careening backwards, his form snapping a tree in two and skipping across the plateau.

"Vaike, are you alright?" Raven called. In immense pain and unable to move, the aforementioned fighter simply settled for an discomforted groan.

"Do you need medical assistance?" Another groan was his answer.

Raven shook his head. "True, that is a stupid question." Taking off to aid the poor axe wielding Shepherd, Raven left me to deal with the Plegian woman before me.

I stared her down as she and I circled each other, neither one's eyes leaving the other's form. "Looks like it's just you and me now, Mistress Misfortunate. Last chance to come peacefully, else I'd have to remove that pretty little head of yours."

"Aw, you called me pretty! Finally," she squealed. "It's too bad I have to kill you today, else this would have made such a tender moment. And by the way, you could make me come… just not peacefully."

I felt an involuntary shudder go down my back by instinct, as if something told me that had a different meaning to it. Some questions are better left unanswered.

"Let's go." Without warning, I dashed at her and threw the first punch, to which she evaded with a simple step back with her foot, although she was not prepared for the follow up kick that I made. Hitting dead centre in her chest, she staggered back.

Growling, she tried killing me with her stare for a brief second before starting up her own offensive. With charged knuckles, she ran towards with me with a roar and a cocked back fist. While they were well thought out attacks, I saw them all coming, weaving and dodging her fists until I tried a thrust with my blade. A stupid mistake on my part, as this left me open to a stunning punch to the ribs.

I grit my teeth, wincing through the painful shock before getting punched in the face by a rather explosive fist, getting launched back a respectable distance.

"Okay, so you've gotten stronger," I breathed out as I drew my sword once more. "And here I thought I wouldn't have fun with this."

"You don't even know the half of it, baby," Alice giggled, although it was far more sinister than it sounded.

A revitalized grin on my face, I flash step towards her, my sword making contact with her knuckles. Surprisingly, her melee weapons held up well in combat, and I was surprised her arm didn't break from the force of the strike. Despite this, I did see her flinch in pain, and I took the opportunity to land a kick on her exposed left side.

I soared backward to gain some distance, and when we stood still, I saw Alice's arm. The limb was partially disfigured, bent in an unnatural angle. Furthermore, her skin was pierced by white calcium and there were raised parts of blue and black on her skin. Her arm really had been broken. Or at least it was. In a short moment, the bones retracted and flesh mended with a series of cracks, pops, tears and rips before the limb was restored, good as new.

"What… what the hell is that?!" I growled.

"Oh… I suppose I left out a detail."

"Explain."

Alice simply giggled again. "Well, in my younger days, I used to be a cleric before I dabbled in the dark arts. My mother's studies of finding the key to immortality came from these elements, and by extension, her studies became my own. And while I haven't found immortality, I suppose regeneration is a close second."

I snorted indignantly. "So you can heal from any injury, no matter how intense?"

"More or less, sweetie," Alice hummed before taking a low stance. "But enough about me, let's kill you!"

Her knuckles now blazed with a flame of raw power, twin fireballs enveloping her arms. Such an enrapturing vision, but I couldn't let it distract me or else I'd die. As it sat right now, I could not match her in raw power alone, and the battle would only get worse if I dragged it out. Her offense was not one I wanted to be hit by, so I made sure to dodge each one of her punches. Each missed by mere millimetres, which was all I needed to hit where she was open.

An uppercut of sheer power launched her up, sending her hurtling into the sky. Before she could recover, I flew up and chased her, the distance closing quickly. Alice's eyes widened when I made it right in front of her with flaming hands.

"Let's see what this does to your regen," I grinned as I placed my hands on her chest. " _Bola_ _de_ _fuego_ **(Fireball)**."

All that was heard was a scream before a loud boom could be heard over the entire battlefield.

* * *

 **narrator!Tychon PoV**

A loud explosion was both seen and heard over the screams and cries of war, attracting the attention of the Chon'sinese tactician. Overseeing this battle while Say'ri took her rest beside him, he could only figure that it had to be Eric, without a doubt.

"Damn… He does realize he's supposed to capture the woman, not kill her, right?" Lu'bei sighed.

Say'ri took a swig from her canteen of water. "Just be lucky he's still alive. That Alice woman is a wanted criminal almost as dangerous as he."

Lu'bei guffawed. "Ha! Worried about the Prince of War of all people? He's enjoying this if anything!"

Before Say'ri could retort, the Pandorian royal knight came to their side, Vaike splayed across his shoulders. As he laid him down, Say'ri and Lu'bei raised an eyebrow in confusion, no question wondering where Raven housed all of his strength.

"Get Sir Vaike some medical treatment, if you may. He's not heavily injured, though it's possible there is some form of concussion." Raven dusted his pants before continuing. "Naga knows he can't afford any further brain damage."

He donned an unnerving smirk of his own as he placed a hand on the hilt of Uramasa. "Meanwhile, I have my king to aid."

And before anyone could say anything else, Raven vanished into thin air, leaving Vaike in the care of the Chon'sinese princess. "No doubt he serves Eric… they both have that same insane addiction to combat."

* * *

 **Eric PoV**

"Damn it… you just don't go down, do you?" I panted, with my arms at my sides, fists clenched. I thought for sure that a point blank explosion would have finished her for sure, but it turned out her regeneration proved to be more hardy than I thought. The blast did nothing more than singe her clothing, and thank Naga it didn't demolish it, else I'd have to deal with a topless Alice. No one wants to deal with a topless Alice.

No one.

Alice just huffed, "Come on now, don't act like you're having trouble."

I raised a brow. "Eh?"

"You know what I'm talking about. That blondie form of yours that took out Gangrel."

Upon realizing what she meant, I sighed and nodded. "The Mystic Fist transformation."

"Yes," Alice hissed. "Channel that Mystic Fist glow I hate so much."

"I would, but I don't wanna end the fight now, barely got to have any fun," I laughed.

That was part of the reason. The other part: when I transform into that form, it actually burns more power than my body can supply. Powerful as it may be, and I as well, I haven't been able to regulate it before now. As a result, the form, considering that Alice is my opponent, is very limited. I'd be lucky if I could hold it for ten minutes.

Oh well. With the power it gives, ten minutes is all I need.

"On second thought, Alice, I'll humour you." I took a deep breath, silencing all around me. I could feel the wind pushing my locks and hitting my clothes as it grew stronger and stronger. The awe in the Plegian's eyes was evident as my body began to glow, and with a final roar, my hair spiked up in all of its golden glory.

Crimson eyes glared at her with glee and anticipation that bordered on hysterics. "So… like what you see? The Mystic Fist makes its second coming onto the grand stage!" I gave her a bone-chilling smile as the glowing mana wisped and flew off my form. "And unfortunately, you're its next victim. Don't complain if I end up gutting you like a fish with my bare hands."

"Come then, the higher the stakes, the sweeter the reward!" Alice once again took her stance, beckoning me forward.

"Spoken like a true gambler." I moved towards her at much higher speeds now, going fast enough to look like a simple blur even to the trained eye. And Alice was no exception.

"Bastard. You think this is amusing? Zipping around me like a damn fly? I'll have your head for this."

With a chuckle of derision, I clapped her shoulder with my sword on my shoulder, a grin spread across my face. "You can't have my head. You can't even see me." In response to my words, she whipped around, only to see nothing in front of her. The only thing that alerted her of my location was my voice again.

"The only thing you'll get is killed." With a light-speed quick draw, I moved from in front of her to behind her, my sword arm outstretched behind me. A split second was an eternity to wait before Alice screamed in pain and a flower of blood bloomed from her shoulder. The detached limb fell to the ground, a trail of crimson following it.

"You shouldn't have gambled, Alice. Cause it seems to me you crapped out." I turned to face her, but I realized that what I said had no substance.

The stump that was her shoulder had bones extend from the wound, reforming the damaged skeleton. Next, with many rips and tearing sounds, pink and red muscle tissue grew and re-stitched itself onto the bone. Finally, her porcelain skin crawled its way from shoulder to her fingertips in mere seconds. The damage was almost completely reversed.

"Damn, that magic of yours ain't no one's fool," I laughed out.

"That's right, my king," Alice hummed. "As long as I have magic left in my reserves, I cannot sustain any damage that won't simply be repaired."

Alright, enough fooling around. My breaths were now a rhythmic series of heavy pants. My power would not last long, and in my base form, outlasting her is still a task. I have to come up with something to detain her, and fast. My mind starts running over different strategies and plans to create the fastest and safest outcome. I don't want to come back to Ylisse and let Cordelia see me in horrible shape.

Wait, back up.

Somehow, my mind drifted onto the topic of Cordelia, who I haven't seen since she and I went to that celebration Maribelle's folks were hosting. But why was she on my mind, and at a time like this? I tried pushing her from the inner confines of my mind so I could focus, but to no avail. The Knight Paragon would not leave my thoughts.

"Keep your eyes open!" Before I knew it, Alice was already in front on me, her lightning knuckles embedding themselves in my gut. The punch hit like a wyvern, so I couldn't help but hold my stomach in pain. Seeing her opportunity in my slight distraction, she grabbed hold of my neck with the grip of a vice, and held me aloft.

Alice laughed as she looked into my eyes. "Your thirst for battle and mayhem borders on the pathological! You're too strong for your own good, it's made you overconfident and arrogant!"

I coughed up what little air was in my lungs before letting out laughter of my own, which no doubt served to confuse the blonde. "This… is great. I was hoping… that I didn't just have… to lock you up or kill you so quickly. This… makes things… interesting."

"Come on, why aren't you wallowing?" Alice grimaced. "That's no fun."

Despite having my windpipe being crushed, I still mustered a powerful grin. "If I'm going to lose here… I'll make sure you don't enjoy it." At least if I died, she wouldn't smile from it. She growled one last time before trying to put more pressure on my throat.

"Time to die-" Her sentence never finished before she got a strict kick to the head, getting her to release her hold on my neck. Taken off guard, she had to flip backwards to recover, landing on her knees and right hand. Lifting her head, she took a good look at her assailant who had just landed at the scene. "Grr… you again…!"

It was Raven.

"Apologies, Miss Vega, but I cannot have you damaging and hurting milord," he said as he crossed his arms. "On an unrelated note, in anticipation of his words, ahem… "Nice. Being down on your knees really is a fitting look for you.""

The swordsman looked back towards me. "Was I accurate, milord?"

"Good work, Raven. But why'd you get involved, I had it!" I coughed out as I sat up. "Besides, it's not your turn yet!"

"Shut it, milord! You nearly had the literal life choked out of you!"

I snorted in-admittedly-ignorance. "I'll let you know when I'm finish-ooh, the grass is so soft… Second thought, Rave, I'll just chill here for a bit. Tag when you need help."

"Of course."

Alice shifted her weight onto her left leg. "Alright fine, Eric, I'll play along with this. But just know that while I'm busy pounding your charge, I'll be thinking of you the entire time."

"Is she always like this?" Raven sweatdropped.

"More or less," I replied.

With a nod, Raven turned his look onto the Plegian pest. "Now then, I don't believe we've finished our last skirmish."

After a long slumber, Uramasa was unsheathed at last, and a demonic grin befell Raven's previously borderline innocent features. "Uramasa here's been experiencing a bit of a… drought. She hasn't tasted a drop of blood for far too long."

A large torrent of lightning crackled and sparked brightly as Raven swung his awesome blade, pointing it at her. "And the blood of my king's assailant… yes, you'll do just fine."

Alice ignored Raven's hiss, punching her fists together. Small purple orbs of ethereal black light flew off of her knuckles before she threw a punch in his direction. With her outstretched limb, a number of will-o'-the-wisps rushed towards the swordsmaster. Alert, the swordsman flash stepped to his right to avoid the attack, then leaped in the air to dodge again, a few of the orbs smashing into the ground where he stood for the first attack.

"So they have physical presence," Raven whispered, though I was able to pick up on it. He smirked as the second wave came from Alice's fists, dashing around her left flank to attack. A new movement of dark flames surged with the intent to hit his legs, but he saw this coming a mile away as he used his hand to push off the ground and out of the way of harm.

Alice started to become increasingly frustrated, as at his base, Raven moved faster than even I do unboosted. Unlike me, he doesn't need a Choice Scarf, but that's neither here nor there. So what would be her top tier solution to such a problem?

Punch more.

Wave after wave of ominous, fisticuff-born flames, I noticed that the movements became gradually faster. And with a glow of Alice's metal, I realized that she was actually in full control now. She was using her hands to make them go faster. It didn't go unnoticed by Raven, however, as he too picking up speed to avoid being hit. The skirmish of who would land or dodge the onslaught seemed like it would go on forever until Alice had the swordsman cornered in the air, blocking him from nearly all angles.

"I have you now!" Closing her hand into a fist, Alice brought the flames down on Raven's form, intent on consuming him.

To any untrained eye, and even to some trained eyes too, one would think surrounding Raven was simply a barrier of blades and lightning. But in reality what was going was that Raven was making his counterattack. With blinding speed, he moved his sword all around him, and in a matter of seconds, the wisps that numbered in the thousands were all destroyed.

Alice's eyes were wide with shock. "He… he sliced through… ALL of them…?!"

Fuck sitting down, it's my turn now. "And I'm back!" I shouted as I flew in her direction and swung my leg at her. A split second too late on that window, my attack missed, and she took advantage of it. Using her body weight, she grabbed my leg and slammed it to the ground. Not that it was broken, but it hurt like hell, and my snarl of pain reflected it. Now that she had her opportunity, she place her hand around my mouth as it began to glow.

"You want to know what death tastes like?" she whispered before receiving another kick in the face from Raven to get her off of me. I supposed my transformation was starting to take its toll on me, as now I started to lose track of Alice and Raven as they began to move at supersonic speeds.

"Where did you both-" A loud thud behind me was my answer as I saw Raven and Alice wrestling on the ground from top and bottom respectively. Standing to full height again, I pointed my hand out towards the two, aiming at Alice. "Raven, get out of the way! _Llama_ _Azul_ **(Blue Flame)**!" I yelled before launching a powerful blue fire at her, blowing up a large portion of the vicinity we were fighting in. I knew Raven got away, but I wasn't so sure with Alice.

My answer of Alice's fate came in the form of a harsh kick that would probably make procreation a huge challenge.

I screamed out in agonizing pain, and time seemed to slow before I was brought back to reality with a sharp punch to the jaw. The Plegian's attack sent me spiralling backwards before Raven caught me in his arms. "I pray for the future of the royal family," he deadpanned.

* * *

 **Some time later….**

Laid beneath a pile of rubble on our knees, struggling to catch our breath, Raven and I spat at the vile woman, wondering if there would be an end to this all. Unlike the swordsmaster, however, I struggled more to get to my feet because of the pain that persisted.

"She keeps kicking me in the dick…" I groaned, trying to keep a hold onto consciousness. "Why…? Why does she keep kicking me in the dick?!"

"Who knows, milord…" Raven panted, more tired than hurt. "But… I may… have a way to beat her."

"If you say hit her really hard, or let you take over, I swear to Naga, I will kick YOU in the dick!"

"No, nothing of the sort." Instead, Raven shuffled over to me whilst holding his arm. From his fingertips, red drops fell to the ground. He was bleeding. Though he still ignored it, dealing with her was the priority. "Rather, that magic of hers, while vast it seems, is still limited. And she's been using up her reserves quite a lot since the battle began."

"So you're suggesting we overtax her regen," I stated more than asked.

"Yes," Raven nodded. "How much mana do you think you have left?"

I sighed as I tried getting to one knee. "Well, I only have enough to barely keep up the transformation as is. I can probably hit her with something strong, but I can only keep it up for about thirty seconds."

A confident grin spread across Raven's face. "That'll do."

"Hey!" Alice called. "You guys finished your nap?"

Raven and I nodded at each other before I charged up fire in my hands. "Yeah, now it's time for yours!" Several flaming orbs flew from my hands, which Alice saw coming from a figurative mile away. In turn, she countered with dark blasts of her own which matched blow for blow, but each one she threw was weaker than the last. She was trying to compensate for low magic supply. Perfect.

"Feel the burn, baby!" Cupping my hands together, I unleash a torrent of flame big enough to put Inferno Overdrive to shame, intent on consuming Alice. Her scream of pain told me that she had been hit by the oncoming wave as she braced through the attack, her regeneration barely keeping up.

"Fool!" Alice cackled. "It'll take a lot more to defeat me than that!"

"That's the plan." I let up on the attack so that the next phase can occur, a phase that Alice never saw coming. On her left flank, appearing out of nowhere was Raven. He had jumped THROUGH the fire to get to her. With his cape and some parts of his body on fire, it made him look like the grim reaper himself. Something that instilled fear into Alice.

"Checkmate, brothel maiden. _Estilo de Espada Blanca: Cientos Cortes_ **(White Sword Style: 100 Cuts)**!" In a flash, Raven stood behind the Plegian woman, who stood still in time herself. Slowly, he sheathed Uramasa in his ornate scabbard, and once it clicked in place, the damage was done.

Alice's body was contorting and tremoring as each and every one of Raven's attacks showed on her body, each wound bleeding profusely. Her body wouldn't scar most likely but she would definitely be out of the fight. The woman collapsed to the ground, slowly losing blood and panting heavily.

"That bounty's looking real nice," I exhaled, taking a knee myself. "Pesky woman."

I eyes down the female from where I stood, but something wasn't right. Raven must not have noticed, but from where I stood, I saw Alice reaching into her pocket for a dagger, the light reflecting off of it made little wonder. Without even thinking, I ran to make it to Raven's side. It wasn't before long until Alice made her move, getting up to her knees and she turned on the black-haired swordsmaster. "Die, you bastard!" She sent a limb flying with a swipe of her large utility knife. The blood flew from the metal as well as the wound. But the one thing: it was not Raven who suffered the attack.

It was me.

I winced in pain as the blood dripped from what used to be my arm, now cut from the upper forearm down.

"M-Milord!" Raven nearly cried. "You… your…"

"Cheap trick, Vega," I snarled, before pulling back my wounded arm. "You will not endanger his life… as long as I draw breath!"

Once I finished that sentence, I embedded my elbow in the Plegian's gut, knocking the wind and some blood out of her. Folding over my elbow, it set me up for the perfect opportunity to finish it with a single punch. And so my last attack was an uppercut that launched her, knocking her out cold before hitting the ground.

"Well, that about does it," I sighed as I channeled fire magic. Using the flames, I cauterized the wound the best I could to stop the bleeding before I could get real medical attention. The remainder I had left to use blasted the severed limb to ashes.

Raven, now trembling, hung his head in shame. "Milord… my deepest apologies! My carelessness and inability to see her deception caused you to be harmed!"

Without making eye contact, he withdrew Uramasa and held it out for me to take. "I shall receive any punishment you deem fit, even if death is that price."

I closed my eyes and shook my head. So I lost an arm, big deal. This is battle, men have lost worse. "Rise."

The swordsman's head shot up, finally meeting my gaze. "But, Lord Eric…"

"Rise to your feet, Gallo! That's an order!" I snapped. I hate having to use my position and power, especially having to bark orders simply because I'm blue blooded. However, this showed to be one of the few times my power would be for me to use with pleasure.

The swordsman in question stood to his feet, which I simply smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder. "These things happen. It's part of combat. Besides, I stepped in to defend you, it was my choice. Half an arm is well worth it if it means you didn't die from a strike you didn't see coming."

Raven had no words to combat my peace, so he simply settled for a nod. "Thank you, milord."

Once that conversation was finished with, Say'ri came to us to report. "Eric, most of the enemy had been dealt with and-" She must have stopped midway due to an unconscious Alice and/or my missing limb. "Good heavens, what happened to your arm?!"

"That woman happened." I pointed at the unconscious and bleeding Plegian, her breathing shallow and ragged.

Say'ri clicked her tongue as she approached the blonde. "I pray her blood won't stain…" The swordswoman lifted up Alice's body and draped her arm over her own shoulder, carrying the target back for questioning and imprisonment. She took a few steps closer to us first. "In any case, the survivors decided to surrender once they knew they were fighting a losing battle. I suppose once they knew of this woman's defeat, they headed for the hills."

"Well, all's well that ends well, or whatever," I replied. "Let's head back." I took a single step towards Say'ri, only to lose all feeling in my legs as I fell to the ground.

"You've completely exhausted your reserves, milord," Raven pointed out. "It may be days before you can even walk again, weeks before you fully recover."

"Gods damn it," I cursed. "Say'ri, you wouldn't mind if I stayed a couple weeks, would you?"

The swordswoman shook her head. "Not at all. T'would be a pleasure for an old friend to visit, even if it not by choice," she giggled.

"Alright. Raven, after resting up and getting everything organized, I want you to lead the men back to Ylisse. Naga know I can't leave them in anyone else's care."

Raven slung my form over him, carrying me the same way he had with Vaike earlier. "Of course, sire."

"I've been meaning to ask," Say'ri began with a perplexed expression as we headed back. "Where do you house your strength, Raven? Earlier, you carried that musclehead with no problem, and even injured as you are now, you carry Eric's weight as well."

"I get that a lot," Raven sheepishly answered.

After making it back to Chon'sin, I let Raven get to the final duties before marching back east to Ylisse. Say'ri had signed a handful of documents that she gave to Raven, which would ultimately be submitted to Chrom. One of which being the completion of the mission and subsequently, the bounty on Alice. I figured there would be an additional note stating my setback due to rest and recuperation somewhere in there as well. Speaking of which, once the Ylissean squadron had been sent home, and I got my arm patched up, I made my way through the left wing of the castle on the second floor, where Say'ri had my room prepared.

The little bit of strength in my legs barely kept me standing, so I needed to use my sheathed sword as a cane to help me walk. After what seemed like an eternity of hobbling through the halls, I made it to my room, marked with a red tie on the bronze knob. I reached out for the the doorknob with my free hand only to realize. I only had the ONE hand, holding me up.

"Life is really cruel sometimes," I sighed. Slowly and carefully, I placed my sword beneath my left elbow so I could open the door, but before I could touch the doorknob, the sword came from beneath me, and I came crashing down to the carpeted floor.

"My, my, Eric, do you need a hand?" Say'ri giggled as she came down the hall. "Surely you know that's not the best place to take a nap."

I grimaced with distaste. "You have a sick sense of humour at times." I tried to get up, using my sword and the walls to pull me up, but once I got up to shaky feet, I simply stumbled again. Instead of hitting the ground again, Say'ri caught my falling form.

"Let me take care of you," she whispered as she held me closer to her chest. A little too close for specifics, and I would have protested, but considering that I'm only a couple steps away from being labelled crippled, I conceded and let Say'ri help me into my room.

Over the next week of my recovery, Say'ri would be in and out of my room, personally catering to my essential needs until I was able to walk by myself, however my reserves weren't fully replenished and would take much longer to fully recover due to me burning out my supply. So naturally, if I wasn't eating, sleeping, meditating or writing report updates out to Raven, I'd be training my body to make up for a week of rest.

Today in particular was a training day.

Enjoying the early October late afternoon weather, I took to the training grounds for some martial arts practice. One of the dummies on the grounds had been decorated with a burlap sack filled with hay, and facial features just for shits and giggles I suppose. Practicing many different stances and techniques, I hit the wooden figure in many places vulnerable on a human being, such as the face, neck, abdomen, and joint areas. Drawing my sword, I go to attack another one, but this one had grown hair. Long red hair, which was not too weird.

Then it took on the facial features of a certain pegasus knight I knew, which was extremely weird.

"What the hell…?" I shook my head to try and stop whatever this was, but the vision still persisted. Stabbing the ground with my sword, I clutched my head, praying that the hallucinations would stop.

"Thought I would find you here," a familiar feminine voice lilted. I turned my head to see the Princess of Blades once again.

"Oh, hey, Say'ri," I greeted her. "What brings you here?"

She pushed a strand of her hair out of the way. "I came to your room to check up on you again, but you were already gone. Knowing you, this was the next best guess."

"Gee, thank you, Mother." I sarcastically replied as I removed my sword and put it back into the scabbard. "Good to know I always have you to check up on me."

That gave me a playful punch to the shoulder. "Strike me down if I simply wanted to make sure you were recovering fine."

I stretched my arms and chest out, a popping sound racing across my sternum. "I'm doing good, in fact, I think I'd be able to leave by tomorrow morning."

The princess nodded, her smile making its way into a neutral expression. "If that's the case, I have something important to speak to you about."

"Fire away."

"Well, to begin, I wanted to address your battle with that Plegian female," Say'ri began, placing a hand on her hip casually. "Your retainer gave me a report in your stead of the altercation, he stated that he approached you in the battle being overwhelmed by her."

"You mean when she was strangling me?" My hand instinctively reached up to nurse my neck, thinking back to the choking incident. "I can recall."

"How did that even happen? That's not like you," Say'ri deduced. "Was your mind elsewhere?"

She hit nail on the head. "Well… as awkward is this may seem… I've been a little distracted lately. For the past month, I haven't been able to focus because my mind continues to lurk back to one particular thought."

"Understood. And pray tell, what would that thought be?"

I sighed with a shadow of a grin on my face. "A woman I know named Cordelia."

"Oh." Say'ri said flatly, though it was rather subtle. "I see."

"You can't miss her by her scarlet hair that she pins with opal hair clips shaped like wings." I said as I put my hands behind my head. "She's kind, considerate, powerful. And quite the good looking individual, to be honest."

"You speak highly of her," Say'ri began. "Almost… almost as if you love her," she surmised.

I craned my head in surprise. "Love her?"

"What else could it be?" She put on a smile. "You have nothing but praise for her, she never seems to leave your mind. The signs lead to that fact."

I couldn't believe what I was beginning to put together. She was right that she never left my mind; her reaction to seeing me hurt or dead, the hallucinations about her, even her distraction when I fought Alice. Cordelia was the cause of all of them. And though I knew about Cordelia's flaws, she'd told me her vulnerabilities herself, I always painted her as someone who'd be considered no less than the definition of perfection.

By the gods, Say'ri was right. I think I love Cordelia.

"I didn't… I mean…" As much as I tried, I could not come up with a sentence without stumbling over my words, let alone an argument against this. "Excuse me. I have a report request for my charge to fill out."

* * *

 **narrator!Tychon PoV**

As Eric excused himself hastily to distract himself with work, as he'd been hit with conflicting news, he left Say'ri alone on the training grounds. The princess stood still in her spot, not a word breaking the silence for a few moments.

Suddenly, the blade princess dropped to her knees and wracked out a heavy sob, trembling as she held her shoulders to futilely keep herself together.

"Why… after not seeing you for ten years… ten years of holding these feelings back… why does your heart belong to another…"

She took in a shaky breath, trying to compose herself. "You're right, Eric. Life truly is cruel."

* * *

 **Eric PoV, later into the evening**

The setting sun leaked through the window, lighting the room a pale orange. I took the quill from the inkwell before writing another sentence on the parchment I would send later on to Raven. But like everything else, this task too came with the same distraction that everything else I do does.

Putting down the pen to the side of the desk, I look at the sight of the bottles on the table. Many of them were scattered across the surface, small and big alike. They were all half finished or completely empty, particularly the Feroxi Dragon's Fire and Ku'bota sake.

Looking at the parchment, then the alcohol and back to the paper, I shook myself out of my daze. "Not enough." I grabbed the bottle of Dragon's Fire and swallowed the remainder of the liquor, a bitter taste left in my mouth. With a belch, I chucked the bottle to the side, the container clinking against the wall and ground. After I gave it time for it to seep through my system, I got back to finishing up the parchment, the alcohol doing the job of getting me to focus somehow.

With the message finished, I rolled it up and put it in a tube fit for a messenger bird to send it off. Now all I needed was to ask Say'ri where they kept the birds. I got out of my seat, when I suddenly heard the sound of something falling to the ground the next room over. It was Say'ri's room.

Leaving my room, I walked next door, but once I got to it, I heard her voice. It sounded like… crying.

"Say'ri?" I called, knocking on her door. "May I come in?"

A long silence followed my question before I heard a series of clicks that came from the other side. The door swung open and on the other side was the Chon'sinese princess, though she was certainly not… herself.

"Good evening Eric! How do you do," she said with a little bit of a slur in her words. Her face was flush with the lightest tint of red and judging by the light bit of sweat on her face and the collection of empty bottles that littered her own desk, she's definitely drunk. I made a little side note that the amount she had finished trumped mine twice over easily. Hell, if I didn't know any better, I'd say she could drink the old man under the table.

"Come on in, Eric! Have a drink with your old friend!" I tried to protest but before I could, Say'ri pulled me into her room and closed the door behind me. I had to try and calm her down, her drunken stupor causing her to throw caution to the wind as she stumbled through the room before finally making it to her bed.

Patting and smoothing out imaginary wrinkles, she gestured towards a spot next to her. "Come sit a spell. I won't bite."

Against my own better judgement, which I blamed on the distraction booze myself, I walked over to sit next to the inebriated princess. I could smell the spirits surfing on her breath and her body temperature was slightly higher than the norm.

"It's been a long while since, uh, since I spoke to you in person, Errrric," Say'ri began. Sorta glad she was the one to break the ice. "Care to share your tales over the years? I'd *hic* love to hear them." As the evening turned to night, I told Say'ri of my adventures the best I could. Not that she would remember it anyway the next morning.

Finally, once I finished, she decided to pop a question I never expected her to. "So, eh, what's this Cordelia look like?"

I whipped my head to my left where she sat. "What?"

"You heard me, what's she look like? Is she pretty?" she said, the slur still going strong in her speech.

"Well, yes, she's gorgeous to be honest-"

"Is *hic* is she more beautiful than I am?"

I raised my brows at that question. "That's not a fair-"

"Is she prettier than me?" Say'ri inquired, her determination for answers redoubled, as well as her sternness.

Silence was my answer, I had a feeling where this was going.

"Answer me!" she demanded again. "Is she prettier than me?! Stronger?! Smarter?! What is it?!"

Something inside me snapped. "Why does she matter to you so much?!"

"Because I want to know why she has hold on your heart and I don't!"

A tense silence followed that outburst before both parties realized what was said. My eyes widened in surprise, nearly vacating their sockets. On the other hand, Say'ri averted her gaze, her cheeks soon marked with fresh tears that raced down her face. Shoulders trembling and breaths uneven, all of her bottled up emotions had finally overflowed and overwhelmed her.

"It's been so long… ten long years before I could tell you this…" She took my hands into hers while looking into my eyes with conviction masked by contentment, yet sadness as well. "I love you, Eric Pandora. From our adolescent years up until now, my heart held these feelings so closely."

Needless to say, being run over by a wyvern would be less painful than this situation. I couldn't possibly think of anything worse than what had been going on now. This woman I had known from the time I could walk, and having grown up with her more or less, I'd grown a very strong bond with her, one that has proven to last longer and stand stronger than any steel ever to grace a battlefield.

Despite my bond with her, I just didn't feel the same way towards her.

"Say'ri… words cannot express how sweet and how amazing it is think it is that you… have these feelings for me… but…"

"But…?"

"My heart is with Cordelia. For the last year and a half, it has been."

I had never seen anyone else that deflated than when I said those words. Not even the time when Gaius was forced to give away all of his "loot" to kids on Halloween. It looked like tears would threaten to fall once again, but those tears never fell.

Suddenly, that sadness turned into rage. Tossing her sake bottle aside, she looked me dead in the eye. "Then perhaps this will change your mind."

In a single moment, she grabbed the back of my head and forced us close, my lips coming into contact with her own. The first few seconds that the kiss persisted, I was unable to even process what had happened. Countless voices told me either to stop here and now or to end up ravishing her, the latter being the more primal thoughts, no doubt, I only thought of one thing.

Nothing at all.

I let go of everything that held me back and against everything advising me not to, I fell under the princess's spell, going with the kiss with mutual enthusiasm. The clash would continue until our forms hit the soft mattress, a simple taste of what was to transpire that night.

* * *

 **FD: Yay! Another chapter out!**

 **Tychon: *dangling from ledge* Ugh, I hate this!**

 **FD: Hate what?**

 **Tychon: *gestures to Lancer, Deadpool, and Saya hanging as well* The bullshit you're putting us through with that ending.**

 **FD: Wha- ohhhhh, I see what you did there. Clever.**

 ***black wormhole opens up* Midna: Well, well, would any of you guys need rescu-**

 **Deadpool: NO! NOT YOU AGAIN! LEAVE ME BE!**

 ***climbs up from ledge to run away* I AM AN INNOCENT SOUL!**

 **FD: ….how do I still run this with any sanity left…**

 **Lancer: In all fairness, you have us to curb it.**

 **Saya: Next chapter: we return back to Ylisstol! ...what? I didn't get to speak in this outro yet.**

 **FD: Fell Dragos out!**


	5. A Love For Red

**FD: *over a TV screen projecting the letters FD* Hello, one and all. I am your host FD. Unfortunately, because I am in school again, beginning Grade 12, I have gotten busier, and currently I am in a… slight altercation that I'd prefer to avoid, so in order to continue this story, I have taken the liberty of doing the intro by audio.**

 **Tychon: And by that, you mean you are beyond terrified of Cordelia because she is after you.**

 **FD: It's not my fault the shit happened! I just write it… and screenplay it…. this argument sounded better in my head….**

 **Lancer: *out of breath* Bad news! Saya fell asleep in Cordelia's lap, so she carried her to bed! Which means CORDELIA IS AT LARGE!**

 **FD: Well. In the wise words of the internet: fuck this shit, I'm out. *TV turns off***

 **Tychon: Well, let's get chapter 5 on and hopefully Goodra-kun-I mean, FD doesn't get hunted down like cattle.**

 **Fire Emblem is owned by Intelligent Systems and Nintendo. Not us.**

 ***A spear runs through the screen, scaring everyone who bared witness***

* * *

The rays of early daylight seeped through the window of my room, prying me from the warm embrace of sleep. My eyes stung and my skull throbbed with a dull ripple of pain, consistent in all of its irritation and rhythm which definitely made me reconsider the idea of drinking so heavy. But to be fair, I needed the influence. It helped distract me from my previous thoughts from yesterday.

Speaking of, I could not recall completely what had happened the night before, only bits and pieces here and there. I remember writing down on paper to Raven, then I spoke to Say'ri. But then past that, it had been a complete blank. I clutched my head in pain, not keen on getting up, but the ever present sunlight had other plans. So naturally, my first idea was to try and get up, just so I could close the curtain and go back to sleep and wake up at a more favourable hour. Only to find that getting up was impossible.

There was pressure down on my body, my entire left side felt immobile. Well, if I couldn't get up to aid sleeping again, might as well just give up, I thought as I rubbed my eyes with my free/only hand. But not even that would prepare me for what I saw.

I pull my head up to meet a splayed out mat of chestnut coloured hair. The head that the dark silky strands were attached to laid still atop my rising and falling chest. I hadn't the slightest clue what even transpired, but the scattered clothes and smell of sweat gave me extremely big hints. I also felt something-two soft somethings-against the left side of my body, which made it even more evident.

After the initial shock set in and passed, reason took over to give me the conclusion.

I just slept with Say'ri. My childhood friend. After telling her my feelings towards her, or rather lack thereof.

"We were both drunk… ugh, what am I to do now…?" I sighed with a hand running over my eye. Then suddenly an epiphany came to me.

Chrom tells us that I have a mission in Chon'sin, roughly just a month after the Mad King is killed by me. In essence, plenty of time for the knowledge of my existence, specifically with the Shepherds. Fast forward, and Raven and I realize that she sent the request for aid despite knowing they have enough troops to handle it themselves. As if it was expected that I'd go to help.

"By Fenrir's mane…" I hissed to myself. "The woman planned this entire thing… and Chrom… oh, you'll get your punishment soon enough."

My body involuntarily jumps in reaction to the princess. She began to shuffle a bit, causing me to stop my outer monologuing and quell my thoughts before her own consciousness came to her. Deep, dark and tired orbs met my own once she lifted her face from my body, blinking out what little kept her asleep.

A smile graced her features, as if she knew why she and I shared the same bed.

"Mmm… good morning to you…" Say'ri began, placing a hand over her mouth to block the yawn coming from her lips. "I take it you slept well?"

At that moment, my previous anger redoubled as I looked at her: while I hardly thought that she staged the attack on Chon'sin with such a being like Alice, this woman planning to get me in her clutches was the sole reason I was sent here: taking down the mercenary band was only the coverup. And no matter what I do, whether blatant or subtle, Say'ri just can't comprehend that I don't feel the same way.

"I slept just fine," I hissed slightly.

The Chon'sinese princess propped herself up by her hands before she was sitting back on her heels and straddling my left leg, stretching her body to loosen everything up. Though this naturally exposed her body to my eyesight so I averted my gaze. ...What? Even though I had seen her the night before doesn't mean I was conscious of it all.

Say'ri laid her arms down before facing me again. "Don't attempt to play the gentleman now. Not after the past night," she said with a giggle.

"Well, excuse my manners, but I'd rather not ogle at a woman unless I am betrothed to them. I'd rather not get thrown in a cell for it." I rose to a sitting position and stared her right in her eye. "Would you mind getting up?"

Doing what she was asked, she laid her feet on the cool wooden floor of her room, carrying the blanket with her to cover herself. A simple sigh leaving my mouth, I stand up away from the bed to gather my clothes, starting with my pants.

"Where are you going?" the princess inquired.

"To Ylisse," I replied curtly. "It is where I live currently, after all."

"You would leave so soon?" she asked in confused. "But why?"

Not even bothering to face her, I continued to put on my smallclothes and pants before gathering the rest of my things. "What do you mean "so soon"? If anything, I overstayed my welcome. I should have left yesterday but it was too late. And someone decided to occupy my night. So there's that."

I heard a click of the tongue as my response. "Same old Eric, I see. Oblivious to a fault."

I had all I needed tucked under my left arm before facing Say'ri. "Wrong. I was fully aware of what was going on. Though it's hard to say the same for you."

"Fie!" she barked. "Pray tell, what does that entail?"

"It means you can't take a damn message," I growled. "You know that we cannot happen. You know that. Hell, I've told you. But for some god forsaken reason, you don't seem to comprehend it. Need I speak the words in Chon'sinese for you?"

"You say that we cannot be," she began. "Then what do you call the previous night?"

"A mistake." I strode past her and stopped right in front of the door. "Both of us were intoxicated and not thinking straight. And you took advantage of that in the worst way possible."

I turned my head back to face her. "Why don't you get it that I don't love you? We are friends, yes, and I cherish that. But romance is a journey I can't see taking with you."

I reach for the doorknob and I twist the metal to open the door before I heard the phrase that made me snap. "You are truly selfish."

Without even thinking nor caring, I turned around and approached Say'ri, my open palm making contact with her cheek. The force made her lose grip of the sheet in favour of holding her now reddened cheek in pain.

"Let's get something straight," I began in a low voice. "It was YOU who sent the request to a foreign ruler to receive aid from one of Ylisse's guerrilla groups, despite having MORE than enough men of your own. You then take me in to recover, not to help out a friend in need, no. It was so that you could have a period to figure out what your game plan was to swoop in and try and take me. But then you get hit by the news that your love interest doesn't feel the same way, so what do you do? You realize that he's drunk out of his mind so you pounce on him like he's yours for the taking!"

Say'ri's eyes widened in shock and pain as she took an instinctive step back. "You deliberately try to take him for yourself, and you try even harder once you realize he's taken with someone else! And yet you dare say I'm selfish?!"

She hadn't the gall to respond, she simply trembled in her spot with tears welling in her eyes. With a shake of the head, I turn my back to her and grip the knob again. "I didn't come here for love. I came here for a mission I was requested to do. It is accomplished, I've done my job."

Still, I give her a nod of mutual respect. "Until we meet again."

I left her room in favour of going to mine, for I had left my sword in the guest room I was supposed to be sleeping in. Once I'd procured the weapon, I strolled down the torchlit castle hallway until I came face to face with Chon'sinese princess's right hand man in the main body of the first floor. "Going somewhere?"

"Well, hello to you too," I replied coolly.

"Is Lady Say'ri awake yet?"

"Yes," I hummed. "She's awake."

"I figured you'd know." he replied, giving me a narrow-eyed look.

I sighed a heavy one. "So is that to say you realize what happened?"

He held up two fingers, bringing them down with each reason he mentioned. "Your usual smell is tinged with her lavender fragrance. Secondly, she was far too loud," he deadpanned. "I could hear her throughout the entire wing of the castle."

I facepalmed. "What... I can't even..."

"There were many appeals to a certain deity, and I believe she was passionately screaming your na-"

"Alright, I get the picture!" I yelled before using a cough to regain composure. "Though you may need to give her some time on her own. If I had to guess, she is not taking the news rather well."

Lu'bei tilted his head. "News?"

"She confessed to me last night. And while I was charmed to know that, I don't hold the same feelings for her."

"Right." Taking out his ornate turtle pipe, he stuffed the wide end before I lit the contents with a small fire spell for him. Nodding his thanks, he took a long drag of it and exhaled it all in one large puff. "Sad as it may be, no one can force that upon you."

The older man held out his hand. "Don't be a stranger, now. Come again another time."

I took his hand. "Sure thing."

With a grunt of effort, Lu'bei pushes open the large front doors for me and I walk out, my soles moving from smooth stone to the waves of irregular cobblestone. "Let's see if I can catch up to the others today." The ground beneath me began to glow a pale green before I crouched a little, and with enough wind magic beneath my feet, I shot off in the eastern direction like a rocket.

I looked down as I flew and even I had to admit the view was indeed breathtaking. Gazing upon the blood-soaked-both figuratively and literally-field of Pi Gua, I saw the remnants of the battle, decay and all, from this high up. If not for the corpses, one would believe that someone painted the battleground a gradient of black and red. Even from this high up, the land of Chon'sin was so vast, and the sea dividing the continents of Ylisse and Valm was even more expansive, as the coastline and horizon seemed to continue on indefinitely.

"Ahhh... The fresh sea air," I mused aloud. Despite not ever really being a pirate, I could never get enough of the sea when I got the chance to be around it. Maybe if I wasn't a vengeance-bent king, I'd probably sit comfortably as a naval officer. Ugh, but then that would mean I would have to change my style completely to adapt to boat setting rather than actual land. Either way, I simply shrugged.

Abandoning all cares I had going on in my life at that point, I nosedived down until I met the surface, pulling up and made my stomach face the waves. I plunged a hand into the water. The crystal clear liquid felt cool and rejuvenating against my palm, like one would feel when taking a dip into a stream. So it was only natural that I dunked my entire body underneath the surface and pulled back up, the water soaking my body and clothes. Fear not, however, for as I flew, the wind dried my clothes.

"I should fly more often," I thought aloud. "It's faster and more exhilarating than running, riding, and definitely walking." With that thought firmly in mind, I twirled a few times, doing some aileron rolls.

 **Deadpool: Don't you mean "barrel rolls?" Do a barrel roll, man.**

 **Fell Dragonite: Oh. Good to see that therapy is doing well. But no, twirling in midair is not a barrel roll. It is an ail-**

 **Tychon: I can't let you do that, Drago.**

 **FD: Do what?**

 **Tychon: Ruin the joke.**

The wind blew in my face at high speeds, pushing my hair far back. My ears took in how loud the travel was as I couldn't even hear myself think, which is when I realized that I was moving so fast above the water, the wind I created pushed on the water's surface, causing the water to flare up on each side of myself. "I really hope Vaike didn't screw anything up."

Then my face adopted a sudden look of horror. "Oh, crap, what if he screwed anything up?" I kicked it up to the maximum, nearly tripling my flying speed. It wasn't even until Port Styx came into view that I remembered who it was I let guide them back home. "Oh wait, forgot that I left Raven in charge." I slapped my head in dumbfounded realization, shaking my head at my absent minded thinking.

Once I made it to the Feroxi coastline and past the port, I slowed down my charge and descended to the soft snow, preferring to walk a little bit. It wasn't before long that my stomach growled aggressively, telling me that I hadn't eaten since yesterday. Hell, I think I even may have skipped dinner. So hunting was definitely in order.

It doesn't take too long for me to set up a small campsite, someplace where the blasted snow wouldn't descend upon me, ruining my fire, and my breakfast. This was of course after I took down a snow rabbit for the next meal to grace my palette. Kneeling next to the flickering flame, I made sure to thank the animal, as I made it a habit of mine, for giving its life so that I could have something to fill my stomach.

Well, that is before an ornery wolf came and snatched my kill.

"Damn it!" I growled, swinging my hand to kill the fire. "That's mine, come back here!"

The damned wolf took off in the opposite direction with my rabbit in its maw, and I was on its tail for minutes on end through the snowy forest before the wolf ended its running near a specific tree, and sitting against the base of the tree was a man.

The man was roughly my height if I had to guess, give or take a few inches. He definitely had the figure of a warrior, muscle covered his entire body with minimal fat on his frame. He had jet black hair that he had in a single shoulder length braid and two bangs that framed his face equally on either side. He wore black hakama pants with a white flame pattern that started at the opening at the ankle and ended at the knee. He wore an obi sash deep green in colour and his torso was wrapped in bandages. His lower torso was completely covered in bandages and a thick band of bandages went up his left shoulder, bringing attention to the large crossing scar on the lateral part of his right one. In his obi were two swords, one with a purple wrapping and one with a blue wrapping. He almost reminded me of Mitsurugi's second costume from Soulcalibur II.

"So, care to tell me why your mutt stole my breakfast?" I barked.

The wolf, as it could apparently understand human speech, suddenly growled in response to my remark, but hushed up once the man placed a hand on its head to calm the beast. "Apologies. My name is Kuro-ryu. I didn't expect Blaze here to steal your food."

The wolf, now named Blaze, took a sitting position and started to lick at its paw, as if nonchalantly and futilely trying to dodge the following course of action. It failed, however, as Kuro tapped Blaze lightly and gestured towards me, and with slight disappointment, grabs the small rodent and gives it backs to me in a small cloth.

"She can be a little impulsive sometimes," he laughed out weakly. "What's your name? I don't believe you told me."

"Oh, right. Well, my name's Eric Pandora," I said as I extended out my hand. "Nice to meet you."

The man's eyes widened greatly and he sat in the slightest bit of trancelike hesitance, before he grabbed my hand and shook it. "Your… your name…"

"What about it?"

His eyes fell to the side. "It's nothing. "Just… familiar, but I can't quite place it."

I raised a brow at the odd reaction, but simply shrugged in the end. "Well, now that I have my rabbit, I should probably head back."

I turned on my heel to go back to my fire before I heard a voice from over my shoulder. "Wait."

"Hm?"

I turned to face the warrior behind me, now standing up at his full height of six feet, with his fist out towards me. "Battle me."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Now I recognize you," Kuro exclaimed. "The Black Beast, Prince of War. You're considered to be one of the greatest warriors of your time, feared by many, virtually bested by none."

"Such a lengthy reputation," I sighed.

"It would be an honour to finally fight you on equal footing." The man grabbed the hilt of his blue blade and unleashed his steel. "Draw your sword."

I simply smiled and shook my head, he wasn't going to take no for an answer. "Very well. I'll accept your challenge. But at least let me eat first."

After a few moments of me heartily dining on my breakfast bunny, I locked eyes with my opponent in the snowy forest setting, the wind howling furiously through the open ways of the forest trees. Fortunately, there weren't really any visible woodland creatures that we had to worry about in the area, so my only concern was the fight. All that was left was for him and I to draw our swords.

"I hope you realize that I'm no slouch underneath the blade," Kuro pointed out. "You better watch out or it could be your last fight."

"You don't need to remind me of the details," I replied. "I vow to bring you your defeat with honour."

"Hmm… such youthful arrogance. We'll see who will shame who!"

Kuro quickly disappeared out of view, though it didn't take a genius to know where he went. I pulled my sword over my shoulder to block his incoming attack, metal clashing violently against metal.

With a powerful grunt, I pulled my blade up from my back to push him off, quickly facing him to block another strike. His leg coming to hit my left side in my sights, I jumped over the limb just enough to throw a kick, pushing away his blade as I do so. His reaction just as swift as mine, he raises his right hand to block my foot, while he thrusts at my face once more. I barely manage to defend this attack with my blade, but this left me defenceless and off balance, something Kuro definitely took advantage of.

A sharp kick to the side sent me to the ground, and with quick recovery, I avoid being skewered by his sword. Each fighter fought with a tiger's ferocity, neither one letting up on their amazing offensive pressure. Still, despite this, being short of a hand leaves me at a disadvantage, forcing me to think in a more creative way to win the fight. Jumping over a slash, I soar over Kuro's form before attacking once again and clashing.

He was struggling beneath my pressure, until he reached back and pulled out a dagger, fighting with two weapons against my one. This battle immediately became a defensive game for me, until I can level the playing field once more, of course.

Blocking the sword and evading the knife, I avoided damage until I saw my opening; I kicked his knife up into the air before locking swords again. When the knife came down, a short burst of effort was all I needed to create space between Kuro and me, and with the space made, I flipped forward and kicked the dagger down, drawing a line of red on the swordsman's face.

His eyes widened once he turned to see my sword at eye level to him and a glare to match. "Yield."

Kuro simply sighed with a grin. "I can see why you're named the Prince of War. You certainly hold up to your reputation. Only one other has been able to defeat me."

"Is that so?" I sheathed my blade and threw my cloak over my body. "Well, it is time for me to take my leave. Have to make it back to Ylisstol."

"You're going back to Ylisstol?" he asked. Earning a nod, he walked towards me and requested for me to hold out my hand, and once I did, he placed inside it a red garnet ring with crescents on the edges of the jewel. I was astonished.

"Wh-what?" I gasped. "How do you have that ring?!"

"Give this to the woman you hold dear," he said, dodging my question. "She will love it." Without even giving me a chance to ask him anything more, Kuro raised his hand and threw down a flash bomb, and once the quick flash died down, he vanished.

My mouth flattened. "I bet our paths will cross again anyway." And with a sigh, I continue my stroll back to Ylisse.

* * *

Two days had passed before I made it back to the capital, and it had seemed that Raven had handled things very well. The trainees, who were brought to the garrison from the time they arrived from the trip victorious, were reported to have been in high spirits, only two casualties out of one hundred, and Raven and Frederick had been alternating between each other to continue training them in my absence. With some inferencing, it didn't take a genius to figure that they would have done it with… conflicting opinions. Anyone with eyes could see that Frederick and Raven had an unspoken rivalry going between them, what it was based on, I don't know. But after such a time away from Ylisse, I made all due haste toward Ylisstol Castle, and notify Chrom of my return.

"Chrom!" I called once I got inside the castle. "You here?"

After several attempts, instead of Chrom answering the call, another man in blue armour came to greet me, a stoic expression accompanying him as always. "Oh, you're back, Eric," Frederick said, standing at attention like he usually does. "I assume the mission went well?"

"You could say that," I said with a fake smile and a twitching brow. "Is Chrom here?"

"Yes, milord is here. I will see to it that he is aware of your return." The great knight spun on his heel, making his way to the prince's office.

I would make sure the blunette got the tongue-lashing he very well deserved. And so he arrived. The prince in question arrived in the front entrance where I had been. He came towards me with a smile on his face. "Eric, you're back," he exclaimed. "I thought you would have come back at the same time with Raven and the others."

"Cut the crap, Chrom," I growled, his smile dropping quickly. "You and your bullshit missions..."

"Wait, I-"

"Say'ri basically paid you to bring me to Chon'sin so she could sink her teeth into me!" I barked. "You sent me for her to enjoy like a common whore!"

Chrom threw a defensive finger at me. "I did no such thing! She asked me for assistance to take down Alice because we're the ones who know what Alice was capable of! I didn't know she'd do that!"

"Wait… that WASN'T why you sent me?" I asked. "But then why did you allow it? They had their own men to deal with Alice and company."

"My thoughts exactly," he breathed. "But she made it a point that our intelligence was key in taking Alice down. She further pointed out that in this instance, we may as well send the one most capable of beating her."

"She played the both of us…" I slammed my fist into my palm in slight anger.

"Oh well, at least the deed is done," Chrom coughed. "Where is Alice? I assume they have her?"

"That's right." I scratched the back of my head absent of thought. "And she took this with it."

I lifted my left arm to show Chrom what happened. "Good Naga, she took your arm?"

He placed a palm on his head. "I apologize, Eric."

"I can deal, don't worry about it," I laughed. "Is there any good news to come from this?"

Chrom cupped his chin with his hand. "Well, we found that Ylisstol's crime rate dropped by 14% in the last few months. Uh, Sumia and I are engaged, and Miriel discovered-"

"Whoa, take a step back," I interrupted. "You really think you can slip that by?"

"What?"

"You."

Chrom nodded with a smirk.

"And Sumia..."

"Uh-huh."

"You proposed to..."

"Yep."

I crossed my arms with a ghost of a smile on my face. "Every time I'm gone, I miss all the good stuff…"

"Go to hell." The prince replied before he and I shared a laugh for a brief moment.

"No, but seriously, Chrom, congrats," I said. I swung my arms back and forth nonchalantly, as if digging into my mind for words. "I guess a lot has happened over the past two months, huh?" Chrom nodded. It wasn't too long before he proceeded in giving me a recap of what interesting things happened over the two-month period I was gone.

* * *

 **Cordelia PoV**

Drops of sweat, worked up from hard work and training, rolled off of my skin and hit the dirt ground. I had laid in front of a spear I'd used in training earlier, doing push-ups in my light sleeveless leather tunic. My face and arms were becoming as red as my hair with all of the work I had been doing.

"48..." My arms were close to giving out, but I wouldn't have it. "49... 50." I finished finally, reaching my goal at last.

 **Deadpool: Holy shit, she can do more pushups than I can!**

 **FD: She's a soldier and warrior, what else do you expect?**

 **Deadpool: Well, so am I!**

 **FD: Not one that takes his job seriously. She's out of your league, in more ways than one. Just stop trying.**

I finished my exercises at last with that final repetition, and decided to go home for the day to get some rest and wash up. I took my towel and wiped off the sweat that blanketed my skin. As much as I enjoyed my training, I enjoyed being clean much more. Making my way through a few corridors, I was about to enter the front foyer until I heard voices. Not one to eavesdrop, I took a step further, ready to go home.

"Anyway… I have to tell you something Chrom."

That made me stop entirely. 'E-Eric?! He-he's back?" I hid myself back in the hallway. I couldn't hear it all clearly, but it was enough for me to make out the conversation.

"Does it involve the mission?"

"Yeah," the young king answered back. "See… you know how I said you basically sent me to Chon'sin so Say'ri could sink her teeth into me?"

"Yeah."

This caused me to raise a brow. Who is this Say'ri? And what does he mean by what he said?

"Well… she may have actually succeeded."

"Wait…" As if the gears were turning, Chrom's mind was processing through that sentence before exclaiming, "You mean she had sex with you?!"

I think I felt my heart drop cliffs down. It hurt me deep in my heart to know that he did that when he was gone. I mean, I know that he and I weren't exactly promised to each other, but I was in disbelief nonetheless. Tears quickly welled up in my eyes and no matter how much I tried to hold them back, they flowed down my face just as strong.

"It was a mistake, man. I was drunk out of my mind when it happened," I heard Eric say.

"Drunk?" Chrom continued. "That's not like you."

"I needed the influence. When I was sober, everything I did, I was distracted. Work, training. I nearly died down in Chon'sin cause I couldn't focus. I was wrestling with some thoughts."

At this point, I thought about just making a beeline for the door and heading home in despair.

"Did those thoughts involve your fancy for a certain redhead?" Chrom asked.

"You knew?" Eric asked in what sounded like shock. "How did you know?!"

"How did I know?" Chrom laughed out. "Name a Shepherd who doesn't know by now! You guys make it so painfully obvious, it's a large wonder how you guys aren't together yet."

I stood there, completely frozen in space. The pain in my chest subsided altogether. That can't be right. Did he just say that... Does Eric truly love me?

"Really though, all my life, I've been forced to live a life of solitude. From the day I left my halidom, I was always alone until I found the Shepherds. And every time I was injured, she'd be there to make sure I was in the best condition. Every time I was in trouble, she'd help me without even thinking. Hell, even against Gangrel, Cordelia knew she was fighting a losing battle, yet she stood her ground just to defend me. She cares for me a lot, and I care for her too."

A pause made its presence known before he finished. "And when Cordelia and I went to that thing in Themis, that's when I realized the feelings were there."

The prince understood as Eric continued. "Though I don't know what will happen now."

"What are you talking about?" Chrom questioned.

"I want Cordelia and I to be on a clean slate from the gate. I'd have to tell her that it happened. And if she comes to hate me or not like me because of it… then so be it."

Tears freely flowed down my face in double the intensity, but not of sadness of grief like before. Instead, they were tears of elation and pure happiness. 'Oh, Eric... You truly don't know the half of it. Of course I love you. For the longest time, I have,' I thought to myself.

Chrom sighed a little in a tone of slight disappointment. "You really don't know how much Cordelia loves you then!"

"Huh?"

"You of all people know she would not hate you because of a mistake you did. Would she be mad? Yes, most likely. But not forever."

"You're right, Chrom," he nodded. "I can do this. The moment I see her, I'll tell her."

I decided that it was finally time to muster up the courage to turn around the corner and face him. "How about now?" I asked, making the two royal men turn their attention in my direction. I was nervous beyond imagination, but I was put at slight ease when I saw him tripping over his words like a fool.

* * *

 **Eric PoV**

I was trying to form a coherent sentence, but the fact that she possibly heard the entire conversation made me unable to stop stuttering like a helpless idiot. And her beautiful presence didn't help the situation at all. Her soft facial features, her long flowing crimson hair that extended to her hips and framed her face. Gods damn me, this was not going to be easy. Not by a long shot. But this point in, there was no turning back.

I was so lost in thought, apparently, that I didn't even notice her approach me, or that Chrom left the two of us alone. "Eric?" she called. "Are you there?"

I took a deep breath. "Cordelia...we've only known each other for roughly a year, and yet I feel as if we've been side by side for an eternity. You are my will and my energy. You keep me going," I said with a short shaky laugh. I tried to keep myself together, whereas Cordelia didn't care at this point. She now freely and profusely cried with a smile on her face. "I love you, Cordelia."

My eyes fell to the side, my bangs doing very little to hide them. "But…"

"But what?" she whispered.

I had to bite the bullet. "I couldn't imagine you actually wanting much to do with me after what happened in Chon'sin. Whether you choose to forgive me or not, Cordelia is your choice, though I don't expect you to. I guess I'm trying to say I'm sorry."

I barely got the last sentence in before she kissed me passionately, wrapping her arms around my neck. Not with a lustful essence behind it, but with love. What was only a few seconds felt like forever, as if time itself stopped. The feeling of her lips against mine was something that I would savour as if it were the last time. "I'm sorry, Eric." she cried once she came out of the kiss, placing a hand over her mouth for a moment. "I cannot help it. I can't help but love you. I never have to be the perfect Cordelia around you. I can be comfortable with myself. You don't attack me when I make mistakes."

She then cupped my face with a tender hand. "How can I hate you for yours?"

The only response she got was a sudden hug. I couldn't process anything else, all I wanted was her next to me. "Whether you try or not, you're always perfect in my eyes." I whispered.

We stayed together like that for a while, we didn't know how long we stayed and we didn't care. Eventually, she pulled out of the hug and was quite reluctant to do so, and with a kiss and a salutation, she headed towards the door slowly. "Wait, Cordelia!" I stopped her.

She turned around gracefully, her hair twirling with her. "Yes, Eric?"

I had no damn clue why I stopped her, or what to say now that she stopped. I just didn't want her to leave. And her fluttering hair… it all just left me speechless. So I had nothing i could form except, "I… I love you, Cordelia."

"I love you, too, Eric."

* * *

 **FD: Chapter 5, status complete!**

 **Tychon: I'm glad and all, but… do you really think it was a good idea to come out in person?**

 **FD: Well, the monitor is broken. I have no choice. Besides, what's the big deal?**

 ***a sense of foreboding grows drastically with every second***

 **FD: Does anyone feel heavy?**

 **Cordelia: DRAGOOOOO!**

 **Lancer, Tychon, and Deadpool: I suggest you run.**

 **FD: Gah! C-C-Cordelia!**

 **Cordelia: THERE YOU ARE! I HAVE SOME BUSINESS WITH YOU! JUST BECAUSE I HAVE FORGIVEN ERIC DOES NOT MEAN I HAVE FORGIVEN YOU!**

 **FD: W-What do you expect me t-t-to do?! I wanted to have tension in the story!**

 **Cordelia: REPENT FOR YOUR SINS!**

 ***flames erupt behind Cordelia and her hair flares up menacingly***

 **FD: What are you gonna do?! Break my arms?!**

 **Cordelia: Falcon…**

 **FD: Naga, why…**

 **Cordelia: PUNCH!**

 ***the author was launched into the wall behind the stage, shattering it to pieces***

 **Deadpool: Anyone mind if I guide us out?**

 **Lancer/Tychon: No./Go right ahead.**

 **Deadpool: Until next time, everyone! Fell Dragons out! ...Cordelia, stop kicking him, he's down already!**


	6. Tied Knot

***flashback***

 **FD: What are you gonna do, Cordelia, break my arms?!**

 ***shift to scene where author is sitting in a hospital bed with casts on both arms and numerous other injuries, wearing a scowl on his face***

 **Deadpool: You know, you really shouldn't give her ideas.**

 **FD: *mocking* You really shouldn't give her ideas.**

 ***A pause of silence before FD screams in pain from DP punching one of his broken arms***

 ***present***

 **FD: Well… while I'm not particularly happy about my old injuries, I have to thank Cordelia.**

 **Tychon: Really? What for?**

 **FD: My health policy covered all of my injuries, surprisingly, and with some lovely donations, we've actually been able to afford a proper intro. Oh, and as usual, we don't own anything.**

 **Lancer, cue the music!**

 **Lancer: On it!**

* * *

 **For more visual aid, take a look at Sengoku Musou's opening. Music: Sen Ikusa by Wagakki Band**

 **(Instrumental)** _The Brand of Pandora falls down while spinning, landing on a familiar forehead with bangs. The perspective shifts back slightly to show Eric looking up ahead, while Chrom's side profile is shown facing the other direction behind the former. Their respective brands plaster the background as Chrom stands with a hand on his hip and Eric stands with arms crossed. Then Sumia crouches on one knee in front of Cordelia, an emblem of upward curving wings beside them. Next, Frederick, Raven, and Robin, each with their respective weapons of an axe, sword, and tome in hand, accompanied by a scythe and dragon emblem. Next, Walhart stands tall with Wolf Berg on his shoulder with the emblem reminiscent of his axe beside him. Then the black scene receives two slashes to reveal the black scene to show the title "Fire Emblem: Decisions_

 **(Kataku chikatta yurenai omoi nara koko ni aru darou?)** _Falchion and Eternity stand in the ground in an X when suddenly, Eric and Chrom run through from each side and grab their respective weapons. With flame emitted from the blade, Eric swung a few times, a torrent of fire torching the scene_

 **(Shinnen aru nara surechigai mo mata hitsuzen darouka kotae wa izuko da)** _Chrom slashes the screen accompanied by powerful gusts of wind, and a battlefield of troops are blown away with an explosion, revealing the two kings back to back grinning at one another over their shoulder. A familiar background of royal blue is displayed behind Robin as he points forward, Frederick appears on screen with an axe in hand. Raven, armed with Uramasa and a smile, each of the two on Robin's left and right sides. A red background replaces the blue, with Walhart holding his Wolf Berg. Yen'fay, Excellus and Cervantes each appear at Walhart's side before Yen'fay slashes the scene_

 **(Iza, maichire sakura saite inochi no aru kagiri maire)** _A silver lance, a steel sword, and Uramasa lock with one another, the scene widens to show Frederick, Robin and Raven smiling at the sky, making a pact of sorts. Now, the Shepherds all stand in a group with Vaike pointing up at the screen, then the scene switches to a black background, with both Aversa and Validar standing parallel to each other while a pair of ominous red eyes glow on a darkened face_

 **(Aa, mou dare ni mo inai fuwari, kaze ga naida)** _Chrom stands beneath a veil of sakura trees, petals dancing along the wind in the glow of the moonlight. Sumia hugs the prince from behind, bringing a warm smile to his face as he places a hand on Sumia's. Meanwhile, Eric looks out at the crescent moon over a cliff. Cordelia looks at him with worry and sadness in her eyes with a hand on her chest._

 **(Hanate, hanate ikusa he inotte, inotte mirai he)** _A bolt of Thoron is launched from Robin's hand, Frederick attacks with his lance, then Sumia and Cordelia charge through the sky with their lances in hand. A familiar blue haired swordswoman stands with her hand on Chrom's sword, surrounded by 15 silhouettes before one of them jump out to cut the scene with a purple flash_

 **(Waratte, waratteruyouni douka, chikai no nakade chirasetekure)** _A young Chrom and Eric run side by side with smiles on their faces before the scene cuts to a dreary looking castle, the two now adult royals charge at Walhart with swords in hand. Chrom avoids a strike from Walhart as Eric jumps in the air and meets the Conqueror's axe, the force cracking the ground beneath them and causing it to explode_

 **(Sono kokoro, makoto ni musou)** _Falchion and Eternity fall from the skies and land in an X once more. A freeze frame of Eric and Chrom both running is displayed, Cordelia and Sumia appear next near their respective love interests, then Raven appears in the middle in front with a hand on his hip and a smile. Frederick stands on Chrom's side with hands behind his back, Robin, on Eric's side with a hand on his chin in thought. Finally, a large portrait style view of Walhart towering behind them all, ending the opening._

* * *

"Raven?"

The dark-haired swordsman looked up at me as he finished up covering my duties for today. "Oh! Joy to see you here at last! You ask something of me, milord?"

I raised a brow before Raven simply began to chuckle. "What do you wish?"

I ran an awkward hand through my hair. "So, um… just to put it bluntly… turns out that I may or may not have spoke to Cordelia and-"

"The _cojones_ finally dropped in place, no?"

My jaw dropped, not only in Raven's rare use of slang, but in the context which he used it, it told me what I needed to know. "Y-you knew?!"

"So many of the others knew, I'm surprised you didn't," he sighed. "It was the most talked about topic from the time Gangrel was defeated, and not even just from the Shepherds."

"What… I can't even…"

Just as I was groaning into the palm laid on my face, a clank of metal followed my ears, who else could it be but the great knight of Ylisse himself? I could definitely note that despite his otherwise naturally curt demeanor and poise, he had a slight scowl of disappointment and/or discomfort, if nothing else.

"Raven," Frederick bellowed, even his usual tone was tinged even the slightest bit of exasperation. "I have some business to be done with you involving the "deal"." The armour-clad man pulled out a small pouch with the distinct clink of metal that would have any merchant go insane. He dug into his pouch and ran his hand through the coin collection before pulling out a handful of gold to give my retainer. It hadn't even been before the currency reached Raven's hands that I realized that the pouch Frederick carried had been labelled in stitched lettering "pool money".

The pieces finally fell into place. "Raven… you BET on my courting Cordelia?!"

"IN FAVOUR, milord," the swordsman corrected. "I trusted that you would find the courage to court her the moment you came back."

"Indeed," Frederick added. "Likewise, many of the others thought you would confess the moment you saw her after your quest overseas. Inversely, some also bet against you, thinking you wouldn't have it in you until much later."

I could feel my eyebrow twitch. "Wait, that event happened not even an hour ago! How did everyone already know about-"

Call it a creeping feeling, but I felt like it wasn't just the three of us alone once I started to listen and think rather than speak. A vein now prominent on my forehead, I picked up a nearby rock and threw it at the open hallway that led out to the courtyard. "Don't you people have jobs?!"

And with the rock startling them, from the sides of the threshold fell Vaike, Stahl, Lissa, and Sumia on the right, and Olivia, Virion, and Donnel on the left. Each had a grin of embarrassment on their face as they took a look at my steaming face, both from slight rage and irritation, but also embarrassment of my own. "Oh, I almost forgot." I picked up and threw yet another rock, but this time, with a swing of my arm, I changed the stone's path with wind magic, pushing it upward. A loud thunk was heard behind the top of the threshold, followed by curse of pain as the sugar thief fell from above onto the solid ground with everyone else.

I sighed in disappointment. "Good grief… you all seriously couldn't find anything else better to do?"

Gaius, surprisingly with his casual trove of goodies slung over his shoulder, dusted off his garb. "Well, it isn't every day the feared Black Beast of Pandora gets his head out of his ass. Should be a phenomenon to savour."

"As… crude as he put it…" Raven began, a small smile of mirth across his face. "He does have a point, sire."

My eyes bugged out of my head as my teeth became comical serrated saws. "No one asked you!"

Laughter erupted throughout the area, hell, even Frederick let his stone face crack a grin. "And to think, such good news to take place right before milord's wedding."

"Wedding?" I tilted my head in confusion. "If I may ask, the wedding ceremony is when exactly?"

"Tomorrow."

My eyes just about popped out. "Tomorrow? He's getting married so quickly?"

"If I am correct, milord proposed weeks ago. Only a week and some odd days after you and your charge left to Chon'sin."

A hand immediately shot up to make quite the audible contact with my face. "I see. That means another trip to the tailors." The lone hand reached up and gripped tightly on many a lock of hair. "Damn it, I hate last minute occasions!"

"Wasn't that function in Themis considered to be last minute, milord?" Raven asked.

"So you see too why I hate them," I groaned out in annoyance.

Raven sweatdropped as he gave a weak laugh. "Well then, it's good that I'm always thinking ahead. I placed an order the day after leaving Chon'sin. I figured it a wise decision. Have it and not need it, no?"

I tilted my head in question. "Really? You-"

"Gave them your proper chest, sleeve, shoulder width, and length measurements, as well as your waist and leg measurements, sire," Raven noted without missing a beat. "I also asked for some modifications to be added to your robe, as you had wished for months before. Though the robe is fairly optional, I know you prefer a simpler look sometimes."

I honestly had been left in surprise. I mean, I always knew Raven was on top on things and was quite eccentric when it came to the improvement in quality to my life in particular, but I don't even remember exactly giving him my measurements. I suppose I just have a very helpful aid and friend in him. Basically my own Frederick with way more personality, if I had to say so myself.

"And to add to it…" he began, a grin of mischief dancing across his face. "It's a lovely ensemble for yet another potential time for you to experience another "date" with Lady Cordelia."

Another round of laughter erupted at my expense as I hung my head in embarrassment. Yes, Raven did indeed have more personality than Frederick. I sneered at the smiling swordsman, unable to contain my discomfort for the situation as I could feel the creeping blush on my face. Something that usually doesn't happen. All I could really do was shrug, I suppose Raven's character would live to be a double-edged sword when it wanted to be. Still, I couldn't really fault him too much. Behind the subtle and tactful jokes, I knew he really cared for my wellbeing. He was actually really happy to see that I found something to look forward to other than having a head on my sword. So all in all, I simply swallowed this particular pill of awkwardness and nodded my salutation to everyone before leaving to head home, with Raven in tow as usual.

* * *

As the now evening-lit sky began to drag the sun down beyond the horizon, my affable swordsman companion and I took our journey to the tailors, as apparently, my order as per Raven's request should have been completed over the last two days. It wouldn't take long before a wooden door was approached and opened, the metallic chime of a bell alerting the owner of the fine establishment. A stout man with an enthusiastically groomed handlebar moustache greeted the two of us with a smile oh-so-jolly, as he was usually known for.

"If it isn't my two favourite customers!" he cried jovially. "How do you fare?"

"Our day has been a swell one, Marco, thank you for asking," Raven said with a bow. "And yours?"

"Simply marvellous! My daughter has gone full throttle with her passion for art. Like an overnight sensation, her paintings are being requested and auctioned all over Ylisse! She's currently in Caldor painting a mural requested by Count Dunwald himself!" His eyes came to a close. "Yes, she has made me very proud of her."

Raven responded with a smile equally as content. "I am glad to hear that. Now then, if you wouldn't mind speaking business, I am here to make a pick for milord here."

Marco spotted me behind Raven's smaller frame. "Ah, Eric, I see you have come back from your trip. I hope you are doing okay."

The tone in his voice in that last sentence sounded to me like it was under the category of apologetic or concerned. Seemed like he knew just as easily, not that it was a hidden fact or anything of the sort. Just not something I advertised. "Yeah, it's been annoying, but I'll live." I instinctively raised my left arm to rub an itch on my forehead. Popping into mind, I dove into my pack for my wallet and grabbed a handful of gold coins.

"Why the money so soon?" Marco asked with another laugh. "Certainly unique, my customers usually like to see the work before paying for it," he joked.

"Well, knowing your taste in design and your work ethic, I'm sure your work is top quality guaranteed. Very few can match your prowess with a needle and thread." With a wave of the hand, the jolly master of sewing guided us to the back where he had kept the work of art. Nothing else could do it justice once I laid eyes on it.

The outfit was like a blend of Ylissean and Pandorian clothing, with a simple black tunic as the base of the upper body clothing, but the left side had been draped with an eye-catching collared coat from the shoulder all the way down below the knee. I say eye-catching because it has the familiar gold trimmed style of Ylisse while having the small slitted flair Pandora was known for on the hem, a lovely gradient from the noble blue colour of the former to the exalted orchid colour of my heritage. The shoulder was topped with a polished pauldron, and the opposing shoulder had a twin as well. On the legs of the model were a pair of pants that matched my usual hakama, although not nearly as wartorn and it had a thin stripe of purple run up the outer side of the leg.

"Marco… you never cease to amaze me," I gasped, eyeing the clothing with such admiration for the middle-aged man's handiwork. "How much is the apparel?"

"Twenty five gold."

I hand him the due of his work I held in my hand from before, to which his brows furrow slightly. "I'm sorry, is something the matter?"

"Not at all, milord," he responded quickly. "I simply figured you gave too much. I mean, this is forty gold…!"

I tapped my foot absently on the wooden floor. "Well… knowing Raven's enthusiasm and your tendency for surprises, I assume you have something else to show me."

Marco closed his eyes and a mirthy chuckle escaped his lips. "How apt you are, milord. I'd been getting to that, but I wasn't entirely sure if you'd be okay with it; it's not completely ready yet. My brother, the usual goldsmith wasn't able to make it due to a wrist injury, so I had to take it up myself."

"Worry not," Raven replied. "Please show us if you do not mind, we are somewhat strapped for time."

With a nod of grace and respect, Marco approached a small workbench where he kept the additional piece. A headpiece, to be specific; a simple uniform headband plated with gold all around, the only part of the band different from the rest was the upward curving anterior portion, rising up and forming a small four-pointed star at its peak.

"You made a crown to go with," I asked a little breathlessly, absolutely astonished by the beauty of the head piece. "We are aware that this isn't my wedding, right?"

The tailor laughed at my playful little quip, raising the article in his hands and making his way towards me. "May you enjoy your function tomorrow, milord. And give Lord Chrom my congratulations."

"Of course." With a nod and a smile, I placed the currency in hand in his palm in exchange for the clothes and crown, and proceeded to leave the establishment. Before I could open the door, however, a voice made its call.

I turned my head to face Marco. "Yes?"

"You gave me five gold extra."

A smile found its way onto my face. "Keep it," I replied before leaving.

"How generous of you, milord," Raven imparted as we began our way back home, closing the door behind us.

"I just thought it cost quite the pretty penny for the crown, and he really did outdo himself, so the tip was very well deserved."

Raven nodded at my words before reaching out towards me. "If you would please, milord. I would like to bring them home as quickly as possible."

"Raven," I sighed. "I am more than capable of bringing them back in one piece."

"I am well aware." The dark-haired swordsman raised a finger in surprise. "Oh, I just remembered! I believe that the prince is starting up a gathering in about an hour, inviting all of the male Shepherds. I'm sure you'd want to attend."

"You mean a bachelor party," I replied.

"I suppose you could say that," Raven said, tilting his head in acceptance over the use of a shrug.

I almost fell straight to the ground. "You mean to tell me you've never heard of the term "bachelor party"?"

"Milord, of course I have," Raven said gracefully with the slightest hint of snark in his voice. "Or do you forget that I've lived within civilization longer than you have?"

I lifted my finger and opened my mouth to retort, but not a single argument could be made. He wasn't wrong. "Fair point."

"So are you going to go to it or not?" Raven asked as he retrieved the outfit from me. "I can handle these no problem."

This could go back-and-forth on and on, but there would really be no point to continue trying to go on, so I conceded. "Fine. Where is it happening?"

"I believe it's at the castle, though I implore that you not be so lead-footed on the alcohol," Raven sighed in slight exasperation. "You've damaged your heart, guts, and arm in the past, I'd rather you not damage your liver as well."

"Thank you for your concern, Raven. But because I want to be somewhat coherent tomorrow, I was thinking of doing that anyway." I brought a hand up to my mouth and began to chew at my nail absently, as I didn't often tend to do. Wonder where that came from.

"'Twould not bode well for your fingers should you pick up that habit, milord," the swordsman chided as he turned around in the opposite direction, the clothing in his hand twirling with him. "And you better get going. The event won't last forever."

"Gotcha." It wouldn't be too long before the veil of night would soon descend and Raven disappeared from sight, leaving me alone to stroll along down to the castle. The night sky, dotted with twinkling bursts of light above, dimmed slightly by the much brighter street lights adorning the cobble roads, each lit with straw and oil reserves in the lamps to keep them going all night. The night, however, was all but quiet. Many a happy Ylissean still roamed the urban area of the capital, the night-owls and party-goers roaming the streets and doing what they do best: go out partying and doing stuff. Painting the town red as they say.

And a particular group of females were certainly doing their share of painting with a fun carriage ride, as I could take from the horse-drawn carriage out on the side of the road as they got out, and an inn they rented for the night. The first of them to leave the vehicle was the bachelorette of the party, her hair clips absent from her hair, and the last being the short, spiky and red-haired knight whose naturally tomboyish air about her was completely absent this night. It was not too long before I was noticed by the girls, Lissa waving to me with her usual cheery self, to which I waved back with a smile. Though really, my attention was drawn towards the Knight Paragon, and her violet orbs focused on my chocolate ones. It wasn't too long a glance, but it was one I would savour for as long as I could. I could honestly only imagine how happy she must be, I mean, her friend is getting married tomorrow. The two were nothing less than sisters, hell, I wouldn't be surprised if they actually were born with the same parents.

"You heading off to Chrom's party?" Lissa asked. "Why don't you join us? I'm sure Cordelia would love the company." With that last statement, Cordelia's face drew inspiration from her own hair, and it certainly didn't help her when the other girls were whistling, exclaiming and gesturing in ways that further drowned the redhead in embarrassment.

I laughed in sheer amusement as well as elation. Just seeing my girlfriend blush like a tomato was always so adorable, this figure of perfection exhibited her weakness in the form of that reddening face.

Wow. I just took it in. Cordelia is my girlfriend. This angel that the gods mistakenly sent down to this plane is now mine to love and cherish. As great as I felt at that singular thought, however, they were having their own bachelorette party, I didn't want to intrude on their fun, so I waved my farewells to the ladies before continuing on the road to the castle.

It wouldn't be before long when I reach the castle and find the male Shepherds, and it looked like the guys had their own plan in mind for fun underway. The guys were playing cards for the most part once I arrived… except for Vaike, Gregor, and funnily enough, Virion. They were on top of one of the nearby tables adjacent to the other guys committing to drunken karaoke, each with a shit-eating grin.

Well, I suppose I couldn't blame them, it is Chrom's last night of fun after all.

* * *

"Frederick, calm down!" Chrom exclaimed. "We still have time to spare!"

For the last few hours or so, Frederick had spent no less than every bit of his waking hours towards the planning of Chrom's wedding with Sumia. And ever since our victory against Plegia, the great knight had meticulously had everything down to the very last detail, to the last second. Or at least that's what he was aiming for, as if you knew anything about the lives of us Shepherds, it is that nothing ever truly went as planned. Precisely why Frederick was pacing back and forth in the small room behind his lord, who seemed to be less jittery than he, despite the prince being the one actually getting married.

Frederick's head darted up frantically, uncharacteristic for the usually concise and stoic great knight. "Milord, with all due respect, how can I calm down? There are a myriad of things that demand immediate attention! The painter is late-"

"Of course he is," Chrom interrupted.

"The banners in the hall are the wrong colour as well, it was supposed to be royal blue, instead we were given imperial blue! Not to mention-"

"Peace, Frederick," Chrom sighed as he slipped on his coat of a powerful and deep navy colour, decorated with gold trimmed epaulets. It was evident that the prince was vexed, as his most loyal and stalwart knight was pacing around like a beheaded chicken. "As long as they are hanging fine, and the hall isn't on fire, it will do."

"Wow," I snorted out a laugh. "I'm genuinely surprised, Chrom. And here I thought that men usually get cold feet about this stuff and head for the hills."

A button clicked into its place on Chrom's shirt. "Oh, don't get me wrong. If not for the need to keep Frederick in check, I'd probably be freaking out myself."

I lifted my gaze upward, focusing at a small crack lined in the ceiling of the room. "Oh, come on, she already said yes when you proposed. And she's been in love with you for YEARS. The most you need to worry about is her tripping over nothing."

"Or Stahl eating all of the food before anything even kicks off," Robin remarked as he helped Chrom out with his collar. "Should probably make a note of that."

"Just wait until you get married, Eric," Chrom huffed indignantly. "Only then will you truly understand how nerve wracking this feels. Not to mention these clothes are ridiculously uncomfortable."

"Hmm… I suppose so." I mean, I love Cordelia, I really do, but marriage? Not something I really even stopped to consider, especially when looking at the fact that she and I were a relatively new couple, officially, that is. Not more than a day's rise and fall since she and I announced our status with one another. Certainly it wouldn't bode well to rush headlong into uncharted territory so quickly.

Yet, at the same time, it didn't sound like a bad concept, nor an unrealistic one.

'Cordelia del Pandora…' I thought to myself. I really liked the sound of that name. Rolled off the tongue if I do say so myself. I suppose I liked the thought of that name slightly too much because I hadn't necessarily been residing in the same realm as the other men in the room, though, as Raven's familiar voice slowly got gradually clearer.

"Milord! Ylisse to milord!" Raven snapped his fingers in my face, his form standing right in front of my sitting form.

"Huh?" was my intelligent response.

Chrom, now finished getting dressed proper for the ceremony, patted at his hair. "I see the crimson-haired beauty of the Pegasus Knights has your focus."

"You know, Chrom," I began before getting up. "I would explain to you how much you should fuck off right now, but it not only bares repeating, it is also your wedding day, so I'm just going to let it slide."

Frederick coughed out, gathering the room's attention. "As amusing as this is, we are to reach the hall soon. We should leave soon, lest we be late, and Naga knows we can't have anything else go wrong."

Robin stifled a chuckle. "Seems like you've finally pulled yourself together, Freddy."

"Well, pardon me should I show any level of concern," Frederick retorted. "Someone must."

A short laugh was shared between the men in the room as each of us exited the room, ready to get the ceremony going. I would be the last to leave, right behind Chrom. I gave a simple nod of support, to which he responded with a nod of his own and a thankful smile.

"Here we go," I mused as I closed the door behind me.

It was only but a short walk until the party reached the cathedral. As short a travel it was, it didn't prevent the groom being spotted by the occasional civilian, which certainly raised some eyebrows and garnered the attention of many as they nearly swarmed us, though most were quickly shut down from anything too hasty with a single glare of the great knight. At least Chrom's winning smile soothed their fear of the knight. Once inside, we each took our positions at the altar, with Chrom at the head. I spotted many a person on my way up there, such as a certain bothersome noble I've had the pleasure of crossing paths with. All it took was a single glance for him to turn away, shivering in his seat.

I grinned to myself in petty pleasure. First Cordelia, then my friend getting married, and now I more or less shat on one of the most well-known nobles on this side of Ylisse? Naga is smiling down on us today.

Speaking of such, it was but a moment before the inner set of oaken doors opened, giving way to the bridal party. Many murmurs were exchanged as each bridesmaid made their way to the altar. I took one look at the redhead of my affection, and I couldn't tell whether it was the setting or whatever else, but despite seeing her choice of gown once before, and considering that each of Sumia's other bridesmaids wore the same, I felt like my connection to consciousness would give right then and there. Cordelia and I exchanged glances, a smile of wonder and a blush of embarrassment on her face.

My feeling of shock and awe soon replaced by amusement once I saw Raven's reaction. I'd later have to remind him to pick his jaw up off the ground, I figured, and with a simple trace of his sight, I knew that what got his attention was none other than Olivia. I had to admit, the gown of red she wore was simply stunning, and Raven's reaction was certainly equal to the scene given. I nudged him lightly, just so hopefully no one would catch the Commander-General of arguably the strongest realm in the world look like a slack-jawed fool.

And finally, Libra, in all of his bishop regalia, took center stage at the altar, book in hand and ready. All the preparations were complete. Now it was just for Sumia to come in.

A loud blaring sequence of notes on the organ brought everyone, especially Chrom, to attention. With the Wedding March underway, the wedding had commenced.

The creak of the outer doors revealed Sumia, the lovely bride for today. If not for my biased opinion towards my girlfriend, she was hands down the most attractive of all. She wore a lovely dress that hugged her upper body but spread out wide at her hips. The white dress had small frills of purple at the top of the skirt, and a transparent veil of the same violet hung over her visage. Not a single word in any language could describe her justly. Besides her was a man of modest height, not much taller than Sumia, and he had the integrity of fortified stone for a father giving their daughter away at a wedding. Though that all changed when he finally gave her a kiss on her forehead, as tears flowed down his face unabated, curbed only by the crescent of his smile. As he took his seat, Sumia, taking her position in front of the prince, waited for her love to lift the veil from her radiant face with nothing but love in her eyes.

"You may be seated." Libra said, granting the church permission to seat themselves once more. "We are gathered here today… to celebrate the union of Chrom Grantz de Ylisse and Sumia de Riegel. You have come here to share in this formal commitment they make to one another, to offer your love and support to this union, and to allow Chrom and Sumia to start their married life together surrounded by the people dearest and most important to them. So welcome to one and all, who have traveled from near and far. Chrom and Sumia thank you for your presence here today, and now ask for your blessing, encouragement, and lifelong support, for their decision to be married."

Libra's speech would not go on for much longer, as even he could analyze the environment and tell that the two wanted to finally seal the deal. And truth be told, had he not had the slightest pang of excitement and elation himself, he would not have abbreviated his sermon. Soon enough, the height of the ceremony was nigh.

"Do you, Chrom Grantz de Ylisse, take Sumia de Riegel, to be your lawfully wedded wife?" Libra continued, gesturing to the groom.

"I do."

"And do you, Sumia de Riegel, take Chrom Grantz de Ylisse, to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do."

"You may exchange your vows."

Chrom stepped forward with a small slip of paper in hand. Unable to read the words for his attention was solely focused on the woman in front of him, however, he simply tossed the paper to the side. "You are the love of my life, Sumia. I couldn't imagine my days without you. Throughout my life, I've had many low points and events, though there was never a single one that you couldn't bring me out of. You gave me hope in my despair, whether I needed a shoulder to cry on or a "slap" to the face…" Chrom breathed out a small laugh, referring back to a certain trip to Ferox. This didn't go unnoticed by some of the Shepherds who witnessed the event unfurl, a slight murmur of laughter rose and fell in the church before the groom continued. "...you were there for me through it all. On my life, from this day forward, I will love you until the end of existence, and I will do all that I can possible to make you happy."

While Chrom stepped back, he swept away a tear threatening to spill, letting Sumia step forward and give her vows.

"I love you so much, Chrom," Sumia began, making the prince smile. "I hadn't the slightest clue what my purpose was in life, and I thought myself to be nothing short of mediocre. That all changed once you took my life-and my heart, by storm. You made me feel like a champion among men and women alike, and while I may not have been the most graceful or nimble person when we first met, but your spirit gave me the power to stand here before you, and commit to the single most happiest moment of my life. Thank you so much, Chrom. I love you."

A warm smile graces Libra's features as both parties now were crying freely, abundant with joy. "Now, who holds the rings?"

"That would be I, father." Robin presented the priest with a pair of rings, one of a thicker gold, and the other was a thinner band, each bearing the Brand of the Exalt engraved on a gem of sparkling sapphire. The bride and groom both placed a ring on the other's finger, leading the ceremony to the final question.

"Now then, finally, if anyone objects to this marriage, speak now or forever hold thy peace."

Much to everyone's expectation, not a single concern was announced. Only one thing remained, and this was the part the two had waited for.

"Beneath the ever-vigilant eye of Naga and her state, I hereby declare you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

The two took a step forward, a mere few inches distance between them. Chrom, as daring as he was, took her in his arms and dipped her before kissing passionately, which caused the audience to erupt in applause and cheers, while the whistle and hoots no doubt came from the Shepherds. They were definitely an expressive bunch, and that would never change.

The recessional now playing, bride and groom now turned husband and wife left the church arm in arm, while each of their respective parties left arm in arm as well through the path made by the civilians. My partner in particular, Cordelia, held onto my arm as we followed the wedded couple back to the castle, the roaring joy of the townspeople buzzing through the air. I'd silently thank whoever decided to have the groom's party on the left side, it wouldn't be a good look for my lovely lady to hold onto an arm that didn't exist, but that was only a trivial thought as I looked out to my friend in his happiest hour… with a genuine smile on my face.

"Yes… this is what I want."

Cordelia turned her head. "Hm? Did you say something?"

I scratched my cheek sheepishly. "Oh, nothing."

* * *

Later that night came the wedding reception, where a large feast and wide room for dancing and just overall enjoyment laid for everyone. Packed as the feast tables were, I would highly doubt that they'd last long, given the Shepherds were all present. Hell, I wager Stahl alone could finish off a good fraction all by his lonesome. After a meal meant for kings, the now married couple commenced the first dance of the night. Sumia had her head laid on Chrom's shoulder, swaying with the slow hums the musical score provided, as if they melted away along with all of their problems and concerns and responsibilities. And oh, boy, would a lot of those hit them starting tomorrow. But now wasn't the time for it. Tonight was just them, their friends and their love. All else be damned.

A little later into the night after everyone had their dance, and it would be time to cut the marvellous vanilla cake made for the wedding. I don't think I'd had ever seen Gaius so blue balled in my entire life, for a lack of a better term. Being teased with such a mouth-watering creation of empty calories and not being able to just go to town with it had the thief going insane; it took all of his willpower to keep himself in check until he could get his hands on a slice. Chrom and Sumia both cut the first slice together, and cheers erupted once the piece was freed from the rest of the structure. Those cheers changed into hearty laughs, however, once Sumia gave in to her mischievous thoughts, as she shoved a chunk of that slice in her husband's face.

"Delicious," Chrom chuckled, before giving Sumia her just desserts.

 **FD: *puts on sunglasses***

 **Deadpool: I hate you.**

Her porcelain features marred with cake and frosting served to make the laughter grow even stronger, though it was probably for the best that the cake slinging didn't go any further. This was still a royal wedding, after all. Everyone had received a sliver of the wonderfully tasty cake, some more than others, as shown by copious amount of frosting that coated the thief's face. Maribelle certainly wasted no time at all chastising him about his "low-born manners", as she so delicately put it.

A smile tugged at the corners of my mouth for two reasons. One, I had Cordelia at my side as she and I spoke to a noble duo who claimed to have some sort of connection with Sumia, apparently they were old family friends or something to that effect. And two, the sheer fun my retainer was having with a certain pinkette, laughing and swapping stories amongst the other Shepherds he had yet to fully make acquaintance with. If only he hadn't been so painfully dense, I could see it coming a mile away that the rose haired dancer had feelings for him, and they would make the cutest couple. It wasn't necessarily as public as my blooming relationship with my companion, but it was alluded to by a handful of wary Shepherds.

Wary? No. Nosey was more like it.

"Ooh, this is my favourite part~" Cordelia all but sang as she sprung up out of her seat. After trailing her beeline, I now knew what made her dart away like that. It was time for the bride to throw her bouquet.

Sumia stood facing away from all of the females at the reception, the ladies waiting anxiously for the flowers to be launched. Each of them cheering and giggling, and some even pushing the other girls out of the way. Man, women can be vicious. Sumia's arm tensed before she launched the bouquet over her head, ready for the sharks to attack their prey.

"I got it!" yelled two female voices somehow. It wouldn't be until the crowd cleared that I saw who was, or rather, who were the ones who caught it, and once I saw it, my face lit up like a damn Christmas tree. The women holding the bouquet were none other than Cordelia and Olivia. This had to be some divine power at work here. A loud round of cheers and and whistles ensued, but let it be said that it did not go without punishment, as there were a few eyes trained on me, which didn't help the colour leave my face any better.

About an hour later, it finally reached the final dance before everyone would be sent home. Though unlike the dance before that, I opted for just a relaxing breath of fresh air out on the balcony. The view was marvellous, overlooking the capital with the half moon hanging in the night sky, surrounded by its usual guard of white specks of light. I leaned my left arm against the railing, using my one hand as a clutch for my head.

"Eric?" I turned around to meet the holder of the voice.

"Hey, Cherry," I answered, turning my body back towards the skyline.

"What are you doing out here?" she began. "You're not enjoying yourself?"

I shook my head. "Nah, I'm having a great time. Just needed some air. It's a tad stifling in there with everyone."

The click of heels filled my ears. "I hear you on that one." Joining my side at the railing and crossing her arms over the structure, she displayed a glowing smile. "It's beautiful, this night."

"Indeed it is." I nodded. "Reminds me of back home. The hang of the moon in the sky, the look over the city and townsfolk below. Reminds me of the moonlit walks I would take. Granted, they were with the advisor of my parents. But I still enjoyed them nonetheless."

"Your home is certainly an enigma," Cordelia replied, her eyes never wavering from the sights straight ahead. "I'd like to learn more about it, if nothing else than for curiosity's sake."

I scratched the back of my head. "Well, there's not much I really know about it, I was young at the time. And even if I did, I doubt it would make much sense to tell; it has changed drastically from my parents' time."

Cordelia hummed in understanding. "What were your parents like?" was the next question she asked. "I remember you saying you had a strong relationship with your father."

As I thought about my mother, the fires of hell crackled and popped as a laughter of pure evil rang through my ears, shuddering my very core. "My mother was scary as hell, I will make that known for sure."

Cordelia raised a brow in question. "Scary?"

"She was certainly the model warrior ruler, she could put the khans of Ferox to shame," I sweatdropped. "In fact, she even managed to defeat the East-Khan in her prime."

This caused the pegasus knight to whip her head in surprise. "Wait, seriously?! She beat Flavia?"

"With ease, might I add," I continued. "It's the only time Flavia has ever lost a duel in the 22 years she's wielded a blade. Hell, even my father was scared of her. Surprised he married her, all things considered."

"She sounds crazy…" the redhead weakly laughed.

I breathed out a good laugh, remembering back to that one time I was caught pranking one of the servants. I was in for it once I saw her flaming orbs one called eyes and her holding a belt. Scared the everliving hell out of me.

"When do you plan on going back?" Cordelia asked.

I cupped my chin in thought. "I really don't know. Perhaps I might not even go back."

"What? Why?"

"Because," I sighed. "I would miss everyone here, as weird as it sounds. Gaius, Chrom, Robin, the Shepherds as a whole."

Cordelia's gaze fell. "Oh…"

"And I would miss you most of all."

The redhead's gaze lifted back up to face me. An expression of surprise written on her face, soon replaced with a smile. "I don't see why you would miss me, Eric. You don't think you can get rid of me that easy, do you?"

"Huh?"

She shook her head. "Idiot… you wouldn't miss me because I'd be there with you."

I tilted my head. "But what about your family here? Your friends? You built your entire life here."

"Doesn't mean I can't build a new one in a different land," she answered quickly without hesitation. "And besides…" A soft, slender hand slid across my cheek. "It took me a year to finally call you mine. No way in hell I'm letting you go like that."

I couldn't retort this. I was left dumbstruck, the only thought running through my head was that this woman was godsdamned amazing. Chrom may be the one who got married, but I feel like I'm the happiest man on the face of the earth.

"I love you, Cherry," I laughed.

"I love you too," she giggled, before placing her lips against mine.

It wouldn't be until after the fact that the two of us realized that we had a little bit of an audience. INCLUDING the newly wedded couple.

* * *

 **FD: And Chapter 6 is complete! Apologies for the long wait. I believe it's been nearly two months since then, but rest assured, this story is not dead and hopefully neither is your interest in it!**

 **Deadpool: Can someone say desperate?**

 **FD: No, but we can all say "bitch-made". How's Midna doing, by the way?**

 **Deadpool: ...Ffffffff-**

 ***Olivia glares at the red-wearing merc, causing him to shudder and sweat profusely***

 **FD: Chalkboard anyone? I believe that is four points for me right now.**

 **Lancer: Anyway, I believe that is where this chapter comes to its end.**

 **FD: Right. School has been currently hitting me everywhere that it can, and it hurts. And the story at this point feels slow to me, but I can endure until the real interesting parts start rolling. I give my special thanks to Tychon and Lance Eterna, yes that is his name, for being my first, and most consistent readers.**

 **Lancer/Tychon: The pleasure is ours.**

 **FD: Fell Dragonite and dragons out.**


	7. Obligatory Fluff

**Saya: Hello everyone…. uh, it's Saya here… this is kind of my first time with this… so, um… FD is kind of busy at the moment, so he wanted me to get the chapter going.**

 **Deadpool: Is he doing homework?**

 **Saya: No, he's gone to Montreal. A big tournament. I just hope he doesn't get hurt…. But we shouldn't think like that. So anyway… we don't own anything… cue the intro… I think…**

* * *

 **For more visual aid, take a look at Sengoku Musou's opening. Music: Sen Ikusa by Wagakki Band**

 **(Instrumental)** _The Brand of Pandora falls down while spinning, landing on a familiar forehead with bangs. The perspective shifts back slightly to show Eric looking up ahead, while Chrom's side profile is shown facing the other direction behind the former. Their respective brands plaster the background as Chrom stands with a hand on his hip and Eric stands with arms crossed. Then Sumia crouches on one knee in front of Cordelia, an emblem of upward curving wings beside them. Next, Frederick, Raven, and Robin, each with their respective weapons of an axe, sword, and tome in hand, accompanied by a scythe and dragon emblem. Next, Walhart stands tall with Wolf Berg on his shoulder with the emblem reminiscent of his axe beside him. Then the black scene receives two slashes to reveal the black scene to show the title "Fire Emblem: Decisions_

 **(Kataku chikatta yurenai omoi nara koko ni aru darou?)** _Falchion and Eternity stand in the ground in an X when suddenly, Eric and Chrom run through from each side and grab their respective weapons. With flame emitted from the blade, Eric swung a few times, a torrent of fire torching the scene_

 **(Shinnen aru nara surechigai mo mata hitsuzen darouka kotae wa izuko da)** _Chrom slashes the screen accompanied by powerful gusts of wind, and a battlefield of troops are blown away with an explosion, revealing the two kings back to back grinning at one another over their shoulder. A familiar background of royal blue is displayed behind Robin as he points forward, Frederick appears on screen with an axe in hand. Raven, armed with Uramasa and a smile, each of the two on Robin's left and right sides. A red background replaces the blue, with Walhart holding his Wolf Berg. Yen'fay, Excellus and Cervantes each appear at Walhart's side before Yen'fay slashes the scene_

 **(Iza, maichire sakura saite inochi no aru kagiri maire)** _A silver lance, a steel sword, and Uramasa lock with one another, the scene widens to show Frederick, Robin and Raven smiling at the sky, making a pact of sorts. Now, the Shepherds all stand in a group with Vaike pointing up at the screen, then the scene switches to a black background, with both Aversa and Validar standing parallel to each other while a pair of ominous red eyes glow on a darkened face_

 **(Aa, mou dare ni mo inai fuwari, kaze ga naida)** _Chrom stands beneath a veil of sakura trees, petals dancing along the wind in the glow of the moonlight. Sumia hugs the prince from behind, bringing a warm smile to his face as he places a hand on Sumia's. Meanwhile, Eric looks out at the crescent moon over a cliff. Cordelia looks at him with worry and sadness in her eyes with a hand on her chest._

 **(Hanate, hanate ikusa he inotte, inotte mirai he)** _A bolt of Thoron is launched from Robin's hand, Frederick attacks with his lance, then Sumia and Cordelia charge through the sky with their lances in hand. A familiar blue haired swordswoman stands with her hand on Chrom's sword, surrounded by 15 silhouettes before one of them jump out to cut the scene with a purple flash_

 **(Waratte, waratteruyouni douka, chikai no nakade chirasetekure)** _A young Chrom and Eric run side by side with smiles on their faces before the scene cuts to a dreary looking castle, the two now adult royals charge at Walhart with swords in hand. Chrom avoids a strike from Walhart as Eric jumps in the air and meets the Conqueror's axe, the force cracking the ground beneath them and causing it to explode_

 **(Sono kokoro, makoto ni musou)** _Falchion and Eternity fall from the skies and land in an X once more. A freeze frame of Eric and Chrom both running is displayed, Cordelia and Sumia appear next near their respective love interests, then Raven appears in the middle in front with a hand on his hip and a smile. Frederick stands on Chrom's side with hands behind his back, Robin, on Eric's side with a hand on his chin in thought. Finally, a large portrait style view of Walhart towering behind them all, ending the opening._

* * *

"Hold still, damn it," Cordelia huffed as she took a handful of my hair.

"Remind me why you decided you wanted to mess around with my hair?"

A brush in her hand, she wiped her brow. "Because, you hardly take care of it, there are so many split ends that I can't even count them, and while you wash it, you rarely condition it." She continued to rake the brush through my hair. "And besides, you'll get a fresh new look from yours truly."

I sighed in absolute annoyance, the urge to storming out growing very tempting right about now. But that would backfire greatly. For one, she was in MY house, so I wouldn't have anywhere to go before she would find me, or before I forget why I left in the first place. And secondly, I couldn't necessarily go against her reasoning, she was right. I really didn't take care of it as much as I should have over the years, streamwater and hot springs being the only thing to cleanse it.

"You're lucky you're pretty," I grumbled, receiving a humourous giggle from the redhead.

"I know."

Cordelia flipped her hair out of her face and behind her back, reaching a hand onto the bedside table for a pair of metal scissors, making clipping noises with the tool. A slow drawn-out breath left her lungs before she put the tool to my hair, feeling the resistance of my hair against the metal.

I blew at a stray bit of hair that had fallen on my face. "Since when did you become a groomer, hm?"

"Since I had a pet to groom," the redhead quipped back with a cheeky grin.

I snorted at her remark and coupled it with an eye roll. Her quips aside, I really enjoyed her now more frequent company. It had been weeks since Chrom's wedding at this point, and as far as I could recall, there wasn't ever a day to pass that wasn't spent with Cordelia in some way, shape, or form. Of course, our duties had to come first before that, but all else was fair game. I even had to force Raven to take more days off just so Cordelia and I could be alone, though that was easier said than done most times. Fortunately, I'd figured a way to get him to spend more time with the dancer he seemed so fond of.

I mean, sure, he didn't know it as of yet, but in due time.

Another snip rang out. "I assume you're playing matchmaker again, huh?"

"Aw come on, Cherry," I sighed. "It's obvious that Olivia has a thing for Raven, it's almost painfully clear."

Cordelia giggled. "Funny, that's the same thing I heard from Sumia."

"About Raven?" I asked incredulously.

"About you to me," she laughed again.

"Is that right?" As much as I wanted to, I couldn't be mad. I still win out of this. "It is what it is. The Shepherds will be the Shepherds."

A long silence followed that sentence, save for the use of the scissors. "So, do you plan on getting a replacement," Cordelia began, attempting to break the tension. "For your arm, I mean."

"Unless you know someone who knows regenerative dark magic, there is no replacement."

"Tharja doesn't?"

I scoffed. "She's more suited for hexing, not for healing."

I could tell she nodded. "I see."

"And the only person who knows that kind of magic is the reason I've lost it," I chuckled, giving an attempt at alleviating the thought. "Eh, I'll have something figured out."

A few minutes passed, and Cordelia finally set aside the clippers. "Alright, then, Eric, your hair is finally finished…" She reached out for a hand mirror before bringing it in front of me. My hair before, it was long and shaggy when left down and would get in my eye's view often, hence why I often had it tied back. But now, with the hair clipped and styled evenly, now it left my face and eyesight exposed for the most part, though a small bit of it would still fall over my left eye. As well, what used to be shoulder length now barely extended below my ears.

"What do you think?"

I hadn't responded, but the way my hair looked, there was only one thing I could do. I stood up slowly before running a hand through my hair, sweeping it all back. "I alone will stand at the top," I huskily said as I crushed the mirror in my hand.

"Whatever the hell you're doing, you owe me a new mirror," Cordelia chimed in.

"Okay, okay," I chuckled. "I suppose we'll go find you one."

After an afternoon walk with the pegasus knight to make a quick merchant's deal for a new mirror, she and I decided to get a nice late lunch, as she and I had been craving for a good bite to eat for a while. At the quaint little establishment we were at, I had gotten a full meal of spit-roasted pork with buttered bread and collard greens while my companion had noodle soup with pork and egg in it. I was surprised she had developed such a palette, as well the restaurant itself; what she had been eating was something native to the western neighbouring continent of Ylisse, so it wasn't very common around these parts. Same went for the establishment, that was a delicacy not native to Ylisse, so I wasn't expecting them to have it on the menu for the redhead to order. Either way, I simply shrugged and continued eating.

One meal time and conversation later, I offered if she would like dessert, and with a nod as my response, I hailed down the waitress. "Excuse me," I began with a friendly tone to the woman. "Do you serve any desserts, and if so, what would you consider to be your best one?"

The waitress tucked her wooden tray beneath her arm. "Well, I would have to say that our apple pie is one of our best sellers. Sprinkled with cinnamon and using apples picked fresh from Rosanne, it is one sweet treat that keeps customers coming back for more."

I looked at Cordelia. "Would you like that?"

"I'm not sure," she smiled sheepishly. "Truth be told, I've never had apple pie before."

My eyes widened and my eyebrows were raised. "You mean to tell me you've never had apple pie? With Sumia as your longest friend?"

She nodded. "Well, I'll be damned." I grinned in amusement. "That means you HAVE to try it then. Two apple pies, fair lady."

I placed six gold coins on the table to cover our food as well as the oncoming dessert. "Okay then, it shall arrive shortly."

As the waitress made her way back towards the kitchen, Cordelia raised an eyebrow at me. "Fair lady, hmm?"

"I said that platonically, dear," I sighed.

"Oh, I know," Cordelia began. "It's just always fun trying to mess with you. Not many people know of my playful side, so I'd count yourself lucky if I were you."

"Playful indeed." I tapped the wood of the table. "A good quality to have in a woman, in my honest opinion."

"Oh, the analysis of what makes the opposite sex desirable? From Lord Eric of Pandora?" the redhead gasped in mock surprise. "Please, do go on!"

I furrowed my brow, but couldn't prevent the grin on my face from surfacing. "I'll have you know that my analysis is a fair one, though opinion, much like my own, differs from person to person."

Curiosity getting the better of her, she laid her elbows on the table, leaning towards me with her chin on her palms. "And pray tell, what _is_ your opinion? Specifically, what is your opinion of me?"

"Well…" I lifted my previous cup of water to my mouth. "The best way I could phrase my opinion of you is that I like my women the way I like my weapons. Strong, sharp and sexy."

Curiosity and wonder quickly turned to embarrassment and vulnerability as a blush comparable to her own hair creeped up on her face. "W-what? No, that's not… I mean… you…" Not too keen on sputtering anything that would make her look like a fool, she held her tongue and turned away. "...s-shut up…"

I grinned against the rim of the cup. " _Keikaku doori_."

 **Tychon: ….you all know what that phrase means(crickets chirp).**

Suddenly, the waitress comes back with our dessert order in hand. "Here are your pies, hope you enjoy!" she said sweetly. I nodded my thanks before taking a bite of mine, humming in content to the sweet welcome of the confection. Meanwhile, I saw Cordelia eye her slice with a slight wariness, which was to be expected for her first time trying a slice of it, though that would soon change I suspected.

"Come on, just take one bite." Encouraging her, I finally got her to cut a piece with her fork and with a little hesitance, she slid the piece into her mouth. In an instant, her body became stiff as a board, fork still in her mouth and her eyes widened to sizes that would shame dinner plates. I looked her directly eye-to-eye, but she didn't seem to respond. "Hey, Cordelia? You okay?"

I didn't receive an answer. I proceeded to wave my hand in front of her in an attempt to get her attention. No response still. "Hm. This is the first time I've seen this happen," I mused aloud. Still, it would be a damned shame if good pie were to be wasted. "Look, if you don't like it, I can always just take it off your-GYAH!"

My free hand, which was previously inching towards her side of the table, was yanked back instantly, a knife lodged deep in the wooden table where it used to be. I looked up and away from my hand to see Cordelia staring me down, her face was completely shrouded in an ominous darkness, her usually violet orbs replaced with a sinister red glare. "Touch the pie and I kill you myself." she warned me.

"Okay, Cherry, damn! A simple "this is amazing" would suffice!" I replied, nursing what could have been my impaled hand.

Inwardly, though, I had chuckled to myself. She was a busy bee to say the least, and in tandem with her perfectionistic nature and track record, it wasn't a secret that many found her unapproachable. It was quite refreshing and admittedly adorable to see her quirky side not many get to see. I mean, how many others can say they've seen someone react like that towards pie of all things? Save for anyone referring to Gaius, anyway.

"Can I have yours?"

"What…?" I pulled myself out of my doldrums long enough to see two very expectant violet orbs staring between me and the food I had on my plate. "You didn't even finish your-"

"Done," she blurted out, showing me her empty plate.

"Look, miss, you already had your pie, let me enjoy mine!" I said with a false stern voice.

The redhead across from me placed down her plate, and with all the appeal she could muster, she leaned over the table, grabbed my hands in hers and stared directly into my eyes. "Please, can I have your pie, baby?"

Godsdamn it. Had this been a year ago, I would have simply eaten the food in plain sight without any concern. But I can't do that, not with Cordelia.

"Ugh… Fine." I pushed my half eaten slice of pie over to her, quite reluctantly, might I add. Seeing her dine on it with such enthusiasm and content quickly got rid of my previous scowl, replacing it with a warm smile of my own.

Cordelia's eyes opened, their focus was on me. "Thank you so much," she squealed before taking yet another bite.

I sighed with a smile. "You're welcome, Cherry."

"So what are you doing for the rest of the day?" Cordelia asked once she finished off her pie.

"I dunno, I'm basically free."

She twirled her hair in her finger. "Then would you mind walking with me home? After all, a beautiful woman like me is easy prey."

"Oh please," I snorted. "You'd sooner castrate them. That said, I would love to."

Once we'd finished up with our food and I'd paid the bill, she and I made progress towards her home. I stretched my arms out behind my head, yawning up at the late afternoon sky as the sun began to fall closer and closer towards the horizon, midway between it and the highest point in the sky. I let my arms fall back to my sides, and at that moment, I felt something soft and smooth coil around my right arm. I looked down to see Cordelia holding me by the arm close to her, humming happily.

"Enjoying yourself?" I asked, to which she nodded against my shoulder in response.

She laced her fingers with mine. "Sorry if I'm bothering you, it's just… I've wanted this for so long…"

"If I may be indulged… how long exactly did you feel this way about me?" I asked.

Cordelia tapped her chin. "Hmm… it's been a while but… I guess the furthest I can remember is when Emmeryn was about to be assassinated."

I raised an eyebrow incredulously. "Not to be rude, but that's a rather odd place for it."

"Well aren't you a gentleman," she pouted. "Maybe I shouldn't tell you."

"Hahaha, okay." I held her hand tighter. "I apologize. Now go on."

"It was as far back as the first attempt on Lady Emmeryn's head that I realized it myself. Of course, there were other things prior to that which caused me to get closer and closer to you, but that one moment stuck out to me." She raised her head to look at me, a smile on her face. "It showed me how kind and selfless of a man you were, to defend a foreign leader as the risk of your life."

I laughed sheepishly. "Chrom would have had my head if I didn't get her out alive. And besides, it would have been very detrimental to Ylisse if she were to die. So I can't say that was completely out of selfless heroism."

"Make excuses all you want, tough guy," Cordelia huffed. "You act like you have a heart of stone, but you're a big softie, you know that?"

"Whatever." I scratched my nose with my one hand, trying the best I could not to disturb the woman on my arm. She didn't seem to care about not disturbing me, however, as she proceeded to poke my face to get my attention once more. "Yes, dear?"

"You have a bit of pie filling on your face."

"Of course you'd spot it," I replied with a shake of the head. "Where is it anyway?" I rub at my cheek. "Is it here?"

She shook her head. A little confused, I moved my hand inward. "How about now?"

Another no. My hand reached the corner of my mouth, but when I asked her again, she still answered negative. "Okay, then where?" I asked slightly defeated.

"Right there." No sooner than that sentence left her mouth, she clapped both slender hands on my face, pulled me towards her face, and smashed her lips against mine. My eyes couldn't go any wider within that first second or two, but once I finally processed what was going on, I returned the kiss in full. Probably good that the nearby area wasn't populated too much, I wouldn't want anyone seeing the two of us if I had to be honest with myself. I felt her tongue push against my teeth, as if asking for permission, so I let my teeth part to deepen the kiss between the two of us. Being the gentleman-no, more like the guy NOT trying to get kicked in the weak point for doing anything out of the question-I was, I made sure to keep my grip above her hips as I held her close to me. She's kissed me before, yes, but it always felt perfect every single time, for the risk of sounding cliché.

A low-pitched, loud cough interrupted the two of us in our moment, which attracted our attention. Seeing who garnered our attention, my face immediately went aflame, and I immediately cursed my position in this situation. "Daddy!" Cordelia sputtered, her entire face flushed red with embarrassment. She was mortified that she'd been caught in such a spot, whereas I feared for my life at that moment.

Still clung to me, she looked between me and her father before putting down her raised leg and pushed herself off of me. "Um… well, how have you been today? I heard Mother came back yesterday."

Egil crossed his arms. "Yes, she'd just returned from her council summit meeting in Caldor not too long ago. I'm sure you would have seen her the moment she returned if you had stayed the night at home," he said with a tone I couldn't place, either between subdued anger and amusement, could have literally been anything within those parameters.

She kept a laser focus on the ground at her feet. "Sorry, I didn't think she'd arrive so late at night."

"Not to worry. But, I'm afraid we have bigger fish to fry."

This caught the redhead's attention rather swiftly. "What do you mean?"

Detecting his daughter's slowly growing fear at what was to come, he turned his gaze away, trying to muster the strength to look her in the eye. "Well… as you already know, your mother attended the noble council summit of Ylisse held every so often."

I tilted my head. "Wait… noble council… you're nobility, Cordelia?!"

"My parents are the Count and Countess of Tivales, west of Ylisstol," she answered briefly, not even bothering to give a full explanation before turning back to her father. "Anyway, what makes it a problem?"

"I'm not entirely sure if this is to be discussed in Hawk's presence," Egil replied, referring to me.

Cordelia tugged me by the arm. "He's my boyfriend, he has every right to know."

A long, drawn-out sigh began Egil's next statement. "Very well. Anyway, your mother had attended the meeting keeping in mind that the topic at hand was the different ties between some of the households, and it was in particular two of them, our house and the Antillus house, wish to mend their relationship, look beyond the past conflicts and instead opting on treading forward."

I could tell that Cordelia was growing increasingly impatient, and I wouldn't blame her one bit. I tasted a familiar bile at the sound of the name as well, but I had to hold my tongue for now. I held her hand in a shot to try and comfort her. "So then…? What's the point?"

"In order for the Talia-torre family, and the house in question to smooth over its bitter history, their house had come to a conclusion." Egil took a pause that was well needed to form his words carefully, though it would hardly matter in the long run. "That conclusion was… that you be married off to the young master Nathaniel Antillus."

I could literally hear something snap in Cordelia's head as many non-descript mumblings were heard. "...I'm sorry, could you repeat that? I didn't quite hear you right, Daddy, I could have sworn I heard you say I was to be married to that piece of filth many come to name Antillus. But surely, it's my imagination."

"I fear not, my child." Egil solemnly sighed. "In fact, it was her who suggested it. She truly had much of a distaste for the bickering going on between the two houses and she figured this would be the best way to handle th-sweetheart?"

The air suddenly heated up immensely within the surrounding area, increasing the air pressure around the three of us as well and burning what little had managed to grow between the cracks of the cobblestone road beneath us.

"Oh shit, she's mad, Egil," I lamented, pulling her close to me. "Quick, try and convince your wife to call off the whole thing before Cordelia kills us both! I'll stall for time!"

While Egil rushed inside to do as I instructed, I tried my best to calm the ill-tempered redhead down, lest she end up incinerating everything on the block. "It's okay," I cooed softly as I stroked her hair, the heat and pressure letting up at last.

"I'm sorry, Eric. I didn't know what came over me."

I ran my hand through her long, beautiful hair. "Don't worry about it, I will handle this pesky problem and you can go back to stealing food from me, okay?"

She nodded enthusiastically. "Goodnight Cherry, and hey. Try not to kill your mother when you see her, okay?" I joked before kissing her forehead and turning the other way. "See you around."

As I got further and further away from Cordelia's abode, I looked around the rooftops to analyze the situation. "You can come on down, now."

Our beloved and loyal knight to the Pandorian royal family jumped down from the rooftops, landing silently at my feet. "Reporting in, milord."

"I take it some of his men were tracking me?"

"Quite a number of them too, some were even armed to snipe you down. I have dispatched them with ease, however."

I chuckled lightly towards the sky. "Nathan, Nathan, Nathan… you really want me out of the picture, don't you?"

"I can assume you don't take much interest from this nobleman," Raven supplied.

"None in the slightest, as of now at least."

"Well, that's good to hear. Because I believe it is time for your surgery."

I tilted my head in confusion. "Surgery? What surgery?"

I felt a slight chop to the neck before I lost all hearing, save for an annoying ringing in my ears, and I had quickly lost my sight until everything had become black.

* * *

I felt the light filter through my bedroom window, its rays dancing along my skin with the subtle touches of a feather, succeeding in bringing a smile to my face as I woke up. Though something felt a little… odd. I don't think it was the sheets, I mean, yes, they had been washed recently, but it wasn't out of the ordinary. I hadn't been robbed or injured, that wasn't the case. I sat up in bed and began my morning stretch before I felt something heavy on my left side, as well as the clanking of metal. My groggy, trance-like gaze now exploded into a open-eyed stare of awe. It started with a strap attached to my left bicep, which extended down towards my forearm. Midway down, I saw that my arm was replaced with a mechanical one, complete with a mobile hand, flexibility with the custom made joint on the elbow, and from what I could tell by the latch on it, it came with a replacement feature.

I blinked in surprise. "I've totally got to test this out."

"Oh, milord, you're awake!" I heard Raven call from the other side of my bedroom door. The doorknob clicked and turned before the door opened, with Raven being behind it to walk through. "I take it you've found out about your new addition?"

"Hell yeah I have," I blurted out, swinging my arm about once I got out of bed. "Is this the surgery you were talking about yesterday?"

"Indeed." Without warning, Raven threw a ceramic piece in my direction, namely the left side of my body. Without even thinking, I reach out to catch the hardened clay in my new hand, crushing it in my palm. I couldn't believe my own eyes as I opened and closed my new metal fist. "What… what is this…"

"Amazing, isn't it?" Raven began. "Libra, Miriel, Gaius, Stahl and I really had our work cut out for us to make it, but I'd say it came out done well."

"It's… it's like a real arm!" I exclaimed in surprise.

"It took us hours to create a pseudo nervous system for the missing portion, and hours more to weave it through the metal itself. It works and operates like a real arm, however, it also allows you to feel pain as well."

Raven got a broom in hand and began sweeping up the mess of clay. "Though since it's not as fragile as human skin, it takes a lot more for you to feel the pain, unless it experiences heat, of course, so be careful not to overheat it."

I clenched my new hand a few more times before punching the air. "What does this thing come with?"

Raven picked up the dust tray he had to gather the shards. "It houses a repeated crossbow, magnetic properties to enhance sword grip, and a powerful single-shot cannon. Courtesy of Stahl. He worked on most of the rough plans and broader aspects of it," he replied. "Please refrain from using any of the features on it. I'd rather that you heal properly before doing anything rash with it."

I winced a little bit, remembering what took place yesterday. "That reminds me… I have something to discuss with you about the past evening."

Raven waved a hand in interruption. "Worry not, milord. I heard everything, and I even made sure to get as much information from Lady Cordelia about the matter as she was privy to."

I sighed in relief. Good to know I could always count on Raven. "And what did you find out?"

"The two families intend to meet with each other at Ylisstol Square at noon today, to discuss the terms of Lady Cordelia's arrangement with Master Antillus."

A manic grin spread across my face. "Wonderful, so I can humiliate him in front of a live audience."

"Quite." The dark haired swordsman paced across the foot of my bed. "Though you must get ready and dress yourself, milord, we have only three hours until then."

"Oh trust me. I'll be ready."

* * *

The sun reached the sky's highest point, signalling to all that noon had come. Within the hustle and bustle of the plaza square, Raven and I stood within the crowd, disguised with cloaks so that Nathaniel wouldn't spot us so quickly. Even with all of the clamor around me, I could detect Cordelia's presence gradually getting closer, and following the sensation with my watchful eye, I tracked her, surrounded by her parents. What caught my eye was her mother, and it was from there that I could definitely see where she got her looks from. Not to try and flatter, but simply from a genetic standpoint, she was almost one-to-one with Cordelia, from the hair color, to her violet eyes, even her facial shape and her tall height. The woman held a stone-faced expression as she strolled on through to the statue of the Hero-King that stood tall in the center of the plaza square.

I had to keep my face hidden, however, as a rather large group was approaching the center as well, within it was a familiar signature. "Antillus," I whispered to myself. As he got closer, my ears picked up on a rather interesting piece of information, one that certainly gave me some level of intel.

"Heheh, what a day it is," the nobleman guffawed. "How sad it must be for that lowly Pandorian swine that his beloved will be handed over to me! I just wish I could see the look on his face, if not for just a moment, and see the anguish and suffering!"

He clenched his fist as he all but walked past me. "That shall teach him not to tussle with House Antillus!"

I deadpanned, considering the possibility of having an aneurysm out of the sheer stupidity. "So he's doing this, ALL of this, simply to spite me? That's rich."

"Milord, I wish you would tell me of your plans sometimes," Raven chided. "Especially when it requires such awkward disguises."

"Hush, you'll see soon enough." Once I saw the two parties make contact, I gave a few hand signs to Raven, signalling to him to move closer. With as much stealth as could possibly be mustered in plain sight, he and I darted from spot to spot, making sure not to blow our cover just yet, hiding behind carts and in alcoves wherever possible. In my location, I was in a great spot; close enough to be within earshot of the ensuing conversation, but out of range of any prying eyes.

I analyzed the initial greeting between the two, narrowing my eyes at the way Nathaniel looked at Cordelia. It was absolutely disgusting to say the least.

"Greetings to you, Lady Cordelia. Such a fine day today," Nathaniel spoke, grinning ear to ear as he placed a chaste kiss to the back of her hand, much to Cordelia's ire. Still, she still somehow managed to keep her composure. "And greetings to you, Master Antillus."

"Now then, let us get down to the main course of the matter," Nathaniel suggested. "I am a very busy man, and I have things to do elsewhere."

"Indeed," Cordelia's mother said, raising her arm in front of her daughter to take over. "I would like to discuss with you my terms."

And here it goes, I thought.

"I request that this deal be revoked."

This certainly left me, Cordelia, and especially Nathaniel surprised, though the latter was also enraged beyond belief. Just seeing the snot-nosed noble try to compose himself was absolutely a sight to see. "May I ask why this is the case?"

"Originally, I figured that my daughter wouldn't have any qualms with this, and I truly do wish to bring our houses together," she started. "However, I have come to realize that she is her own woman and I will not force her to marry a man she isn't in love with. And on top of it… she already has a man to which her heart belongs."

I could see the red in Nathaniel's eyes intensify with every word Cordelia's mother spoke. "We could find another way to connect our houses once more."

"I think not," Nathaniel huffed. "What you've just committed is nothing but an even greater insult to the house of Antillus." He reached out in rage and grabbed Cordelia by the arm, tugging her forward. Seeing that this would not continue well, Egil went to step in for his daughter, only to be blocked off by one two of Nathaniel's men. Looking back at Raven, I nodded at him, giving him the signal to move.

"You will be married to me, young Talia-torre, and your so-called boyfriend will simply be shit out of luck!"

At the end of that sentence, I grabbed him roughly by the arm he held Cordelia with. "You don't seem to learn much, do you, Nate?"

Nathaniel, enraged even further, growled out in vexation. "No… not you again!"

"How's it going, Nate?" I said as I removed my cowl with my new arm. "Haven't seen you in a while. How's the spleen doing? Heard it took some damage after that hellish blow I planted in your torso."

"Just fine." Letting go of Cordelia to wrench his arm out of my grip, he scoffed in disgust. "Tell me what brings you here. I wasn't aware you had a death wish today."

I saw his men surround me, pushing Cordelia out of the way and keeping me in the center of it all. Looking around me, it didn't take a genius to realize this attracted a large amount of attention from many passing civilians. "Was the Harvest Festival not a clear indicator of how this is going to go down?"

"Men." With that one word, each of Nathaniel's henchmen drew blades on me, causing many a scream to erupt from the unsuspecting public, as well as Raven reaching to draw Uramasa before I raised my hand to keep him steady. "Hold, Raven. This matter can be solved quite quickly. So please. Step down."

Raven kept an iron-grip on his blade, but eventually sheathed his blade fully with hesitance. Pleased with my charge stepping back, I placed my hands behind my back. "Now then, Nathaniel, I believe you have something you wish to be done? Give them the command. I know you're itching for it."

The noble was foaming at the mouth, glaring with all of his might in the hopes that he would fell me right on the spot. In a low, primal voice, he rasped out two words to his men. "Kill him."

I grinned like a lunatic as one of them lunged at me with an outstretched arm, easily dodging the blade. Another came at me from my right side, swinging his blade down, yet I evaded that attack as well. As time passed, I casually dodged each and every strike the near dozen of Nathaniel's lackeys had to offer, before knocking each of them out with a single strike to either the gut, neck, or jaw. Once the last of his pitiful crew fell to the ground, I turned my eyes to Nathaniel, his gaze wary, yet unwavering. I made slow, suspenseful steps towards him, towering over his figure before grabbing him by the collar and throwing him to the side, clearing a path to Cordelia. A smile grew on my face as I heard Nathaniel clatter to whatever the hell he hit on the way, not that I truly cared either way.

"You okay, Cherry? He didn't bruise you, did he?"

The pegasus knight laughed softly, "No, I'm just fine."

I glanced over at the pathetic nobleman, barely picking himself up off the ground. "I told you your beauty was going to get me in trouble," I joked. "It's a blessing and a curse to have someone as striking as you to myself."

I sighed, my gaze softening once my eyes landed on the redhead. "And to think that this could very well be a regular occurrence."

Cordelia tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

This is it, I thought as I placed a hand in the depths of my pocket. No turning back. "Cordelia…"

I took a deep breath, hoping it could calm me down just for this moment. A tense silence filled my surroundings before noise and screams of all kinds erupted as I slowly fell to one knee. I raised my hand out of my pocket and bring it forward to her. Within my hand was a small box holding a band of exquisite silver, and atop it was a single three-sided jewel of ruby, each corner tipped with a crescent, the jewel being reminiscent to my brand. Cordelia stared at me with doe eyes for a brief moment before bursting into tears. Overwhelmed by emotion, she would have collapsed on the spot had it not been for her parents' support behind her. She clasped both hands over her mouth, trying to contain the thoughts she couldn't put to words.

A ragged breath escaped me as I pushed on. "Damn, what a time to do this… Look, I know this isn't the best of times, and it's a little sudden. But hear me out. Cordelia, I've been shunned, slandered and spat on by many a person since I've been but a boy. I've always had to be alone, and very few were even willing to give me a warm welcome, leading me to stay away from others. However, I'm happy to say that you're one of those few. As I got to know you, you taught me that I can trust others, and that I'm not made of stone. And, as cliché as it sounds… you changed me. You changed me into the man who would put his life on the line to save those whom he cared about, you changed me into the man of warmth and love he is today. And most of all, you make me feel like I can take on the world without a single scratch. I ask you that you please be my beacon of strength, my ray of hope, and most importantly, not as a fellow soldier, not as simply a lover, but as he who wishes to be your husband… will you marry me?"

Cordelia was openly crying at this point, not even trying to hold back what she felt inside. Her parents looked at her with warmth and happiness in their eyes, smiles of joy written across their features. Let it be known that among the extensive list of her many, MANY talents, she was an unrivalled wordsmith. Well, save for maybe Virion or Miriel. So I made sure to savour this moment no matter what her answer was, as this was potentially the only time I would see the Knight Paragon of Ylisse blubber like a child over a broken toy, stumbling over her words drastically.

"Yes." Cordelia nodded furiously. "I will!"

My face lit up like a Christmas tree at those three words, and I would have gone in to place the ring onto her finger, if not for a sudden blunt hit to the side of my head, and a sickening crack as the object made contact. Dazed, but not knocked out, I trailed the attack to see a boot, leading back to a livid Nathaniel.

"I will not stand for this!" he roared as he stepped over towards me. "I will not be humiliated by some insolent fool who clearly doesn't know his place!"

"HOW DARE YOU!" was all Nathaniel could hear before Cordelia planted a bare-knuckled slugger punch straight to the side of his head, sending him tumbling to the ground away from me. The hit certainly jarred something loose, forcing a mortified nobleman to spit out a couple teeth and some blood.

"You bitch… you have no idea…" My blood ran cold as I heard the familiar grind of steel being unsheathed. "WHO YOU'RE DEALING WITH!"

A squelch reverberated throughout the square as Nathaniel's cold steel ran through flesh. Not even thinking about what method would be best, I stand in front of Cordelia, shielding her from the potentially fatal blow. A round of gasps came from the frightened townspeople, Cordelia, and her parents, and a grin of triumph from the attacker.

"You fool!" Nathaniel cackled. "Didn't I tell you that humiliation won't stand with me?! Enjoy breathing while you still have it!"

"Thank you, my arteries have been itching for a while." Triumph and hysterical laughter shifted into shock and hopeless horror once I grabbed his arm, squeezing like a vice. "You know… I remember this one saying that my mother once told me long ago, dear Nathan."

"Don't weep for the stupid, you'll be crying all day." A small series of crunches and pops came from my grip on his offending limb, the man attached to it crying in extreme pain. "Sometimes it just can't be helped, stupidity like yours can only be solved through violence."

A grin that could only be described as hell itself bared its fangs on the poor man. "Let see if you get this message."

A sudden loud ripping sound preceded Nathaniel's screams of agony, his entire forearm torn straight off his upper arm as it still clung to his blade that lay within my body. Collapsing to the ground, the blood that splattered from his wound made many a civilian turn away, some of which actually retched at the sight of the crimson stains that painted the once gray-blue cobblestone. Picking his fingers away from the handle, I removed his bloody arm and tossed it in front of him. "I believe you'll need this. Prison meals aren't too tasty, I hear."

"You bastard! You will rot away in prison along with me for such a villainous act!"

I chuckled slightly at the idiocy that was Nathaniel Antillus. "Dumbass, have you forgotten who I am? It seems you have, else you would realize that what you did, attacking royalty is a very hefty offence, often punishable by death. Be lucky you get to live." I spat at his severed arm before letting the guards do away with him.

I looked down at the wound briefly. Luckily, he missed anything that would have been fatal. Placed right at the base of the stomach, but right above the left side of the colon, it barely missed my spleen, though it did nick the former two organs.

Well, that was going to be another trip to Lissa, I groaned before my attention was turned to Cordelia once more. Her puffy, tear-stained cheeks filled my vantage point before she kissed me passionately, modest enough so her parents wouldn't object, but intense enough to convey her feelings on the event that took place before it was so rudely interrupted. It felt like an eternal heaven until finally her and I part, her violet orbs gazing deep into my brown ones. With a teary smile on her face and no words she took the ring from the confines of my hands and slid it straight onto her ring finger. A perfect fit.

"Don't do that ever again," the redhead joked. "You could have died. And you're not going to get rid of me that easily."

"Wasn't trying to. I just didn't relish the thought of you becoming a human kabob again."

Cordelia shook her head. "I love you so much."

"I love you too, Cherry," I cooed before planting a kiss on her forehead. "Now we need to find a healer…"

* * *

 **FD: I am so sorry for how this chapter turned out, I am not a romance writer. That said, I try my best.**

 **Saya: Oh, FD! Y-you're back. How did the tournament go?**

 **FD: Won Gold, pretty awesome all things considered. So, were things running smoothly while I was gone?**

 **Deadpool: Did you expect anything less?**

 **FD: ...how much, what did you break, and will I get sued?**

 **Deadpool: No cost, nothing is damaged yet, and you might get flamed, and potentially shunned by every reader you have for this dumpster fire of a story, but I don't think you'll be sued.**

 **FD: Gee, thanks. Glad to know I can count on you. And Saya?**

 **Saya: Y-yes, sir?**

 **FD: Keep up the amazing work! You'd make a great narrator.**

 **Saya: O-oh… thank you… *blushes***

 **FD: Sayonara, everyone, Dragons out.**


	8. Throwing More Wrenches

**Lancer: Can any one of you guys figure out what's going on with Drago?**

 **Tychon: Not a clue, he's been upset for a while now.**

 **Saya: Is he crying? Sitting on his bed in the dark, most likely in front of his computer screen, while eating out of an ice cream tub?**

 **Lancer: All of the above, yes.**

 **Saya: Oh, I know that state. That is his "my favourite character in a given fanfic has died" procedure.**

 **Tychon: His what?**

 **FD: Why…. Aayla, why did you have to go… you changed the cold hearted tyrant for the better… you two were going to have a life together….**

 **Lancer: Huh. How about that.**

 **Tychon: He better fix himself, we need him. ...Uh, cause we need to get this chapter going! That's all!**

 **Lancer: Right. Well, on behalf of our blubbering host, we own nothing. On to the chapter!**

* * *

 **Music: Sen Ikusa by Wagakki Band**

 **(Instrumental)** _The Brand of Pandora falls down while spinning, landing on a familiar forehead with bangs. The perspective shifts back slightly to show Eric looking up ahead, while Chrom's side profile is shown facing the other direction behind the former. Their respective brands plaster the background as Chrom stands with a hand on his hip and Eric stands with arms crossed. Then Sumia crouches on one knee in front of Cordelia, an emblem of upward curving wings beside them. Next, Frederick, Raven, and Robin, each with their respective weapons of an axe, sword, and tome in hand, accompanied by a scythe and dragon emblem. Next, Walhart stands tall with Wolf Berg on his shoulder with the emblem reminiscent of his axe beside him. Then the black scene receives two slashes to reveal the black scene to show the title "Fire Emblem: Decisions_

 **(Kataku chikatta yurenai omoi nara koko ni aru darou?)** _Falchion and Eternity stand in the ground in an X when suddenly, Eric and Chrom run through from each side and grab their respective weapons. With flame emitted from the blade, Eric swung a few times, a torrent of fire torching the scene_

 **(Shinnen aru nara surechigai mo mata hitsuzen darouka kotae wa izuko da)** _Chrom slashes the screen accompanied by powerful gusts of wind, and a battlefield of troops are blown away with an explosion, revealing the two kings back to back grinning at one another over their shoulder. A familiar background of royal blue is displayed behind Robin as he points forward, Frederick appears on screen with an axe in hand. Raven, armed with Uramasa and a smile, each of the two on Robin's left and right sides. A red background replaces the blue, with Walhart holding his Wolf Berg. Yen'fay, Excellus and Cervantes each appear at Walhart's side before Yen'fay slashes the scene_

 **(Iza, maichire sakura saite inochi no aru kagiri maire)** _A silver lance, a steel sword, and Uramasa lock with one another, the scene widens to show Frederick, Robin and Raven smiling at the sky, making a pact of sorts. Now, the Shepherds all stand in a group with Vaike pointing up at the screen, then the scene switches to a black background, with both Aversa and Validar standing parallel to each other while a pair of ominous red eyes glow on a darkened face_

 **(Aa, mou dare ni mo inai fuwari, kaze ga naida)** _Chrom stands beneath a veil of sakura trees, petals dancing along the wind in the glow of the moonlight. Sumia hugs the prince from behind, bringing a warm smile to his face as he places a hand on Sumia's. Meanwhile, Eric looks out at the crescent moon over a cliff. Cordelia looks at him with worry and sadness in her eyes with a hand on her chest._

 **(Hanate, hanate ikusa he inotte, inotte mirai he)** _A bolt of Thoron is launched from Robin's hand, Frederick attacks with his lance, then Sumia and Cordelia charge through the sky with their lances in hand. A familiar blue haired swordswoman stands with her hand on Chrom's sword, surrounded by 15 silhouettes before one of them jump out to cut the scene with a purple flash_

 **(Waratte, waratteruyouni douka, chikai no nakade chirasetekure)** _A young Chrom and Eric run side by side with smiles on their faces before the scene cuts to a dreary looking castle, the two now adult royals charge at Walhart with swords in hand. Chrom avoids a strike from Walhart as Eric jumps in the air and meets the Conqueror's axe, the force cracking the ground beneath them and causing it to explode_

 **(Sono kokoro, makoto ni musou)** _Falchion and Eternity fall from the skies and land in an X once more. A freeze frame of Eric and Chrom both running is displayed, Cordelia and Sumia appear next near their respective love interests, then Raven appears in the middle in front with a hand on his hip and a smile. Frederick stands on Chrom's side with hands behind his back, Robin, on Eric's side with a hand on his chin in thought. Finally, a large portrait style view of Walhart towering behind them all, ending the opening._

* * *

 **Narrator PoV**

Some days, no matter what may be the case, are days to be enjoyed to their fullest. Whether it is in celebration of a certain event, or simply because the conditions are so lovely, it would be too great a shame to spend it cooped up in an office or the like.

Such was a day in the low-lying mountain province of El Sol, notorious for the copious amounts of sunlight it got year round, hence its name. Despite it being early December, snowfall had been at a minimum, if one could even spot a flake of the stuff in sight. Instead, it had been quite warm for a winter afternoon, and the breeze was just gentle enough to give a cool embrace, not too abrasive to where it would provide wind chill.

These conditions were calming, subtle, and serene, something reflected in one particular person's method of spending his down time on this wonderful afternoon. Underneath the veil of a peach tree, a man laid peacefully with his hands laced behind his head, eyes closed and one leg propped up on the other lazily. He hummed a light tune absently, basking in the tiny rays poking through the canopy above as they danced across his angular features.

The man in question was close to six feet, perhaps 5'10", with shaggy white hair and a horn that decorated his head. Over his right eye, he wore a dark orange patch that wrapped around his forehead to keep it in place. He laid on top of a white long-sleeved jacket, shuffling in his orange-trimmed white gi top and torn-legged black hakama pants, feet bare of any shoe or protection.

Dull footsteps closed in, increasing in volume before they came to a halt. The man on the ground opened his one eye to see a masked man, roughly 5'11", clad in red with a white coat over it, his blood red eyes being the only visible part of his face, forehead disguised by a meticulously maintained mop of jet black hair. Full in uniform, he donned a black shirt protected by a black steel chestplate, on top he wore a red cloak with black ornate trim, decorated further with a white coat of his insignia. "So this is where you've been all day."

The previously relaxing man craned his head lazily towards the stoic and curt male. "That's right."

"Care to explain why?"

"Ah, come on, Regulus," the horned male croaked. "I've finished my duties for the day. And the day is so niceeeee. You're so uptight, sometimes you just gotta relax, smell the roses."

The standing male sniffed the air a few times before shaking his head. "I'm smelling something, but it is certainly not the roses."

"Geez, it's not even five o'clock yet and you've already burned through a good chunk of your supply." This second voice, now feminine, followed Regulus with hands on her hips. She had her violet hair let down, draping all the way down to the small of her back. She wore a blue top with simple markings and form-fitting bottoms in dark violet colour. Over top of it all, the same white coat the other two had, but with a different insignia. "Save some for the rest of us," she joked.

"I'll pass," Regulus sighed. "Someone has to keep a clear head."

"Gods above, Lugiel, you can't be stoned already," a fourth voice said from above. The previously dozing man, now named Lugiel gazed up to find a man with green hair dangling upside down from a low hanging branch before landing beside the female. He was of modest height, coming only to about 5'7", tied for shortest with the female of the group. He wore a thin green fur coat beneath the white one he seemed to share with the others, and beneath even that, a pale red cotton shirt, the kind of colour red that candy canes are notorious for. His features were the least developed of the four, showing his youth while still having developed enough to where one could recognize he's an adult. "There are other ways you can enjoy your day."

His emerald gaze was drawn towards a nearby small, steaming body of water within the bounds of a wooden house, the faint sounds of giggling and idle chatter music to the mint-headed male's ears. "See the sights… enjoy what life has granted us."

"You idiot," the woman lashed out, a tick mark prominent on her forehead as she clocked the green haired man over his head. "Haven't I told you to keep away from peeking in the bathhouses?!"

"Why don't you stop jumping to conclusions, Reo?! I wasn't talking about that!" he responded in pain. "And even if I was, why is it a 'you' problem?!"

"I'm pretty sure no one wants to be spied on by lecherous grubs like you!" Reo countered. "Your 'books' have enough material!"

The two literally butt foreheads together, neither one wilting beneath the other's gaze. "Hey, those books sell amazingly, I'll tell you what! They pay for our threads, and Lugiel's bi-weekly delivery! You're just mad because the most exposure you've had to a man ARE my books!"

Completely ignoring the last comment with a clamp of her teeth, she sputtered out her response. She still had her pride. "That doesn't mean you need to go around and put your nose where it doesn't belong! If you thought with your head atop your shoulders and not what little that's in your pants, you'd get your work done half the time!"

"Dusty womb!"

"Spearmint midget!"

As the two continued bickering on, Regulus pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. Why did this have to be a daily thing? He hated playing babysitter.

Regulus turned to the only other one who wasn't yelling their head off to see him holding out a wooden pipe with a thin stream of smoke rising from the opening. "You sure you don't need it?"

After a tense moment of thought and a bitter grimace, though none could tell beneath his mask, Regulus glowered. "I may consider," he deadpanned.

Whipping his head towards the other two, he didn't even bother trying to get their attention, instead he got straight to the point. "I received an update from the Commander."

These few words got everyone's attention, the previous two stopped their momentary bickering to hear what he had to say. "It seemed that he had been successful in his self-assigned mission."

"You mean he found him?" The mint-haired male scratched his head.

"Yes, apparently he'd been in Ylisse for some time." The masked man rubbed his palm with his thumb absently. "I haven't yet met the man, but it seems he truly lives up to his lineage. If the reports are correct, his power matches and perhaps even exceeds the Commander's."

The other three's eyes widened at this. "Really?! He's that powerful?"

"Yes, Zeno," Regulus replied. "If I hadn't heard it from his own voice, I would have been skeptical myself."

Reo shifted her weight. "So when does the Commander plan on coming back?"

"Hasn't said, though I pray it not be too long. Our nation is suffering underneath Shuyo's heel, she can't take much more."

At that moment, Lugiel lifted his head and looked out past Regulus, spotting a group of men coming down the mountain in the distance. They were armed, accompanied by horses. Seems like they were doing a patrol.

"Speak of the damn devil," Lugiel growled. "He's still out looking for us?!"

"This isn't good," Zeno whispered. "They shouldn't even be around these parts. Have our defences been breached?"

Reo scoffed in distaste. "They're crossing the border into El Sol. Its agriculture is integral to the nation, small wonder why he's coming here. Perhaps he plans to take it back."

"Such terrain is perilous for a full squadron to crossover since we regained its land," Regulus supplied. "He's trying to snuff us out for good."

Lugiel rose to standing position, slipping on his jacket. "Well, he'll have to do better than that! Reo, what's the terrain look like where they are?"

"Aside from the obvious mountain pass?" she rolled her eyes. "There is only one bridge in and out of El Sol to the capital province, surrounded by cliffs all round. If we can catch them before they get past the bridge, we can trap them and drive them back. But we'd have to be quick about it. I'd say we have an hour before they make it there. That's one option."

"Option two is?" Zeno asked.

"We destroy the bridge entirely."

"What? Why?"

Reo pointed up towards the soldiers in the cliffs. "If the direct connection to the capital is cut, the bastard Shuyo is to pay for agricultural product through either the southern state of Katal, or the northeastern state of Barceis. Since Regulus and his forces have Katal still, and Zeno's men are stationed at Barceis Pass, it's safe to assume that he won't take back either territory easily. Each province will tax him further if he wants to keep his men and the civilians fed in his rule. He can't risk them starving."

"Interesting," Regulus stated. "But we can't wait them out forever. They still have DeLeon. Rich in iron and coal. He may rely on the revenue of their exports before long."

"Good point," Reo hummed. "Well then, Lugiel? What are your orders?"

"Scatter for now," Lugiel began before devolving into more specific commands. "Zeno, meet your men on the northeast end of El Sol. If you are to come into contact with any of Shuyo's men, do not kill them. Destroy a cart or two, get them riled up, but do not engage in battle. Try to see if you can confiscate their arms."

Zeno nodded with confidence. "Got it!"

"Regulus," he continued. "I want you to go back to northern Katal. I know it's a long trek back, but you are the only one who can match the bulk of his forces coming from the capital's south into Katal. Reo's our resident tactician and Zeno's army has taken a heavy blow after the last battle for El Sol. Send one or two of your captains to hold down the western border."

Regulus nodded without complaint, allowing Lugiel to press on. "Reo, you stay here in El Sol. We could use your tactics behind the front lines until necessary, besides, I'm sure I can handle a meager bridge."

"Understood."

"Regulus, keep in touch and make sure you have Skimaru in the skies as much as possible."

Lugiel rolled out his wrist. "This civil war needs to be quelled, and quickly."

Regulus swung his hand down, signalling everyone to make for their positions before they broke off in separate directions. "Break!"

"I picked the wrong day to light up a bag," he huffed, making for the El Sol bridge in the mountains. "Commander Raven… you better hurry. And let us pray that our king is competent…"

* * *

 **Eric PoV**

 _ACHOO!_

Oddly enough, in the near pin-drop silent theatre, save for the music playing and the soft steps of the dancers on stage, Raven and I break through it with an obnoxious sneeze. Cordelia's annoyed gaze fixed itself on me, making me feel tinier by the second. Embarrassed, I looked around and gladly saw that no one else was distracted by the sneeze; they were too engrossed by the performance to care.

"Apologies, milord," Raven whispered. "I didn't think I would succumb to allergy at this time."

"Nah, it's probably someone far away talking crap," I whispered back, making extra careful to keep quiet so that Cordelia didn't chew me out again. My comment from long ago aside, Cordelia reminded me of my mother in some circles. Both were hot-headed and terrifying when angered. I couldn't understand for the life of me why that was the case.

Her hand grazes over my own in the chair, and besides the warmth of her palm was the foreign, yet still welcomed feel of the band around her left ring finger. It was cool to the touch and instinctively comforting. I took her hand in mine, feeling the warmth course through my being before she laid her head on my shoulder.

Try as I might, I couldn't remove the smile that forced my face into its current expression.

"Here come Olivia, the Twirling Moon," I heard someone whisper below the music. And true to his word, the rose-haired dancer strode onto the stage with grace. Many who knew the dancer from the Shepherds would never have guessed that she would behave so freely, the pinkette notorious for being nothing less of a mouse around company. But on the stage, she was completely in her element, nothing could stop her. She spun and twirled and leaped and posed, moving from one position to the next with unparalleled grace. Her movements were absolutely captivating to say the least, and the stage presence she commanded was astounding.

Her performance came to a stop before long, her bow of conclusion greeted with grand cheers and flowers thrown onto the wooden deck. She responded to the attention with a modest, yet proud smile on her face as she came off of them stage, making her way towards Raven.

I had noticed a few things over the course of these last few months. I had started to see Raven less and less nowadays. Not because of me trying to kick him out of the house, but because he'd simply started spending more and more time with the dancer. What's more, her confidence has started to grow greater and greater the more she spent time with Raven.

I would make a mental note later to pat myself on the back for my good work.

As we left the theatre with Olivia in tow, we dove into idle chatter about the little things in our lives during our walk in the darkening December afternoon. Making it to the plaza centre, Olivia raised a finger as if she remembered something on the spot. "Cordelia, can I ask you a question?"

The redhead's attention went to the pinkette. "Oh, it's just that… um… when do you and Eric plan on getting married?"

Cordelia's brow raised, flustering the other female as she tried to gather the words she felt appropriate. "No, it's… I noticed the ring on your finger. A-and everyone is talking about it at this point in time, so I-"

"Don't worry about it, Olivia. We have yet to set a date," she replied, tightening her coil on my arm. "We aren't in any rush right now but we're getting there."

The dancer nodded, she seemed to be pleased with the answer she received.

Suddenly, I could feel Raven shuddering in his own skin. Normally he was extremely calm and collected, so to see him exhibit some shred of fear was essentially unheard of. "What's wrong, Raven?"

His cheerful and warm smile dropping to a stern gaze told me that something was afoot. "I sense a foreboding presence, its intent heavy with hatred."

I tilted my head in confusion while the girls' eyes widened in fear of the unknown, Cordelia taking a defensive position while Olivia jumped behind Raven. "Is it bandits?"

The dark haired man shook his head. "Invaders?"

"Worse than that, milord," Raven grimaced. The girls were both now in a paranoid frenzy, made worse by the fact that neither were armed. My eyes narrowed until it suddenly hit me. "No… gods, no, not him…"

"I'm afraid it is true, milord," he sighed. "Shall we engage?"

"We haven't any other choice."

Cordelia, with an apprehensive tap on my shoulder, pulled me close. "Who is _he?_ "

A smooth purr echoed through the area, ringing in my ears. I felt a shiver travel up and down my spine in anticipation, my knuckles going pale as I clenched my fist. I turned my head to peer at the origin of the sound, and atop the roofs of a building holding many small apartment-like homes was a single entity.

I growled with fury, Raven following suit and taking a defensive stance. Meanwhile, Cordelia and Olivia both blanched. Mistake it not for fear, however. The two were just… dumbfounded, to say the least.

"...you… mean to tell me…" Cordelia began, trying to articulate what transpired in her mind. "...that this 'fearsome' enemy… this threat that got us so worked up... is a godsdamned cat?!"

"Lady Cordelia, please do not make light of the matter!" Raven whipped his hand to the side. "There's more to this feline foe than meets the eye."

I grit my teeth. "Its name is Leo. His owner has filed many a complaint to Chrom for someone to retrieve her beloved demon. I took the task, thinking it would be an easy mission."

"But it has been proven to be quite the handful, besting milord on several occasions."

Cordelia rolled her eyes. "Aye, the king of a land that specializes in warfare, and his only superior is a creature with a hairball problem!"

Drawing me away from conversation with the redhead, the cat leaps off of the roof, a small mewl leaving its mouth. "Milord, it approaches!"

I made eye contact with it, leaping upward to meet it in the air. "Alright, you overgrown furball! Have at you!"

 **Cue: Let The Battles Begin!(Unofficial)**

The distance between the cat and I closed faster and faster until finally we crossed path off the ground, each one of us executing our attacks. I landed softly on the ground, as did the cat, before feeling something open up on the corner of my mouth. I licked at the trickling substance coming from the wounds. The son of a bitch nicked me.

"I see… you're still as strong as ever," I grinned, turning to face the feline. "But you're not invincible."

That was yet another truth, as a thin streak of skin was left exposed. I struck the little bit of fur on its side, the strands falling to the ground.

Cordelia had her face in her hand while Olivia chuckled weakly. "To think I've fallen for this man…" the former lamented. "...he is seriously fighting this cat…?"

The battle continued as fur flew and blood was shed, though in very minimal amounts. Each time I tried to grab the damn thing, it was always out of my reach. It ran across the walls and up the nearby stalls and posts, evading my grasp every time.

Even Olivia facepalmed as she heard Raven trying to coach me through the entire ordeal. Though it still didn't stop her from letting out a mirthy giggle. Weaving in and out, up and down, our skirmish would continue for long agonizing minutes(at least in Cordelia's mind), until I got the bastard by his little tail.

An enthusiastic and somewhat dangerous grin cracked across my face as I pulled the animal up by one of his hind legs. "Ha! Gotcha, you demon!"

A cross between a meow and a hiss escaped the captured cat as I stared it down, ready to bring it back to Chrom, and subsequently, its owner. Peering into its eyes, its golden, slitted… pained eyes. Was it in pain? Did I hurt the poor thing? Many such thoughts coursed through my mind as I held the animal tightly, closing in on its visage.

"Hmm. Maybe you're not so bad a pet after all. Maybe you just want some fresh-AAGH, DAMN IT!"

Blood. That is what this devil-spawn wants; fresh blood. The damned thing baited me into feeling bad for it, then took the opportunity to chomp into the arm holding it. After relinquishing my grip on it, it fell to the ground unharmed, landing paw-first.

I growled and winced, holding the flesh on my arm that now sported bite marks, few of which had little bubbles of blood surfacing. In an instant, a giant mass of fur charged in my peripheral, landing on my face and blinding me temporarily. Leo let his claws do the talking, clawing away at my face and my hair with fury and hissing, lots of hissing.

"Milord," Raven started. "Look out behind you, watch for the-"

 _CRASH!_

"-rock."

I lost my balance and fell backwards, slamming the back of my head against a wooden stall that I was thankful for being vacant. The structure burst into pieces of splintered lumber and kicked up dust all over the place. That blasted house pet defeated me again. And just to add insult to injury, a weight bounced off of my chest, no doubt it was the cat.

"Eric," Cordelia began as I dug myself out of the debris. "The Prince of War, feared across the world as the deadliest warrior to wield a blade, just bested by a common house cat."

"Go fuck yourself," I groaned.

"But that's what I have you for," the redhead teased again, the euphemism not lost on her as she began sporting a faint blush.

Another groan escaped me as I let myself fall back, lying in the broken stall and all of my shame.

"That would make it the fourth time that feline has defeated you, milord," Raven sighed as he tried to keep Olivia from bursting into laughter.

I spat out a splinter in disgust. "...I hate that cat."

* * *

I winced in discomfort as Cordelia applied the disinfectant with a cloth, grumbling and muttering in contempt a few choice words, some that perhaps even Sully would find surprising. It was now evening, the sun had retreated past the horizon and left only the slightest bit of light and colours dashed about in the sky.

"I didn't think that cat was so violent," Cordelia spoke wryly, though a hint of concern was still present.

"You thought I was joking? There's a reason why that… thing, is still roaming around."

Another wince processed by a series of cloth dabs. "Who knew that I would basically become your personal medic?"

"Never would have imagined," I laughed. That did bring a good question to my mind, however. "Have you ever considered learning healing magic? It would probably be a good idea to learn, you seem to always be patching me up."

The pegasus knight placed the cloth back into a bowl of plain water with a shrug. "You have a point. But I would have to ask Lissa or something. I'm not entirely sure how busy Libra might be with the church, so she would be the next best choice."

"Fair enough," I nodded as she applied ointment to the openings, sealing them up and disguising the lines of red. Certainly beat having full bandage patches on my face.

"Now then, you are all fixed," she announced. "Is Raven back yet?"

I tapped my cheek. "No, I'm pretty sure he's still with Olivia procuring groceries. If I had to guess, he would be back within the hour."

No later than when I said that, the redhead crawled onto my lap, straddling my hips. "Then we have time," she whispered lowly, placing a loving kiss on my lips. I returned it just as passionate for a brief moment before we parted our lock.

"Have you ever considered having a pet?" Cordelia asked me, curiosity blooming in her eyes.

"You seem to forget that I own a bear," I chuckled which earned me a deadpan eye-roll. "And she is adorable."

"Yeah, because a 900-pound bear mauling your foes with its powerful claws certainly screams "cute"." She let out a single chuckle. "I mean a domesticated pet."

"Technically, Mei Ling is "domesticated"," I quipped. That earned me a slap to the shoulder.

"I mean like a cat or a dog," the woman on my lap huffed.

I mulled over the prospect for but a moment. "Hmm… probably not, to be honest."

Seeing the confusion on Cordelia's face, I cleared my throat. "Look, say I go off for away missions or gods forbid, war, and on the off chance, I don't make it. Or I'm simply gone for a long while. I wouldn't be able to take care of it. Besides, that fucking cat has left a bad taste in my mouth. And Mei Ling is a quest to feed in and of itself. Always hits hard when we have to procure food."

"So that's why you and Raven buy groceries in bulk," Cordelia reasoned.

Nodding my answer, the redhead shrugged and was about to go in again for my lips before a knock at the front door interrupted us. "Well, so much for alone time," I sighed, shooting Cordelia an apologetic look.

"It's fine." She rose off of me and stood up. "I didn't think Raven would be out THAT long anyway. Have to admire his work ethic, if nothing else."

I clapped a pair of hands on my own face. "Oh my gods! The-"

"None of your smartass quips," Cordelia interrupted with a hand. "I don't know what you are going to say, but it involves my perfectionism."

"You know me so well," I laughed weakly.

Another series of knocks at the door. "Right. I will be but a moment." With a quick peck on the forehead, I climbed down the stairs and opened up the front door to be met not with the familiar face of the raven-haired swordsman, but instead, a man in a white hood.

"Can I help you?" I questioned him.

"The Exalt wishes for your presence, his words were "There's someone who wants to speak to you, says they are acquainted with you"."

I nodded in acceptance as Cordelia approached me from behind, watching the man bow and disappear in thin air like a ninja. Scratching my head, I spoke to Cordelia over my shoulder. "Care to accompany me to the castle?"

* * *

 **Tychon/Narrator PoV**

Raven, after an evening of clearing out the stalls for whatever they had for groceries, made it back to the house, with Olivia in tow. She had been quite the delight in Raven's eyes, and her contagious smile and shyness never ceased to bring a smile to his face. He'd noticed that he had been spending a lot of time with the dancer, in fact, he knew long ago that his lord was trying to push him and Olivia together. But for the sake of amusement, he let him do what he wished. And he had to admit, he rather enjoyed it, and he found himself actively trying to spend time with the pinkette. He would have to thank his king later. For now, however, he simply placed all of his purchases on top of the wooden table that stood in the kitchen.

"Milord! I'm home!" he called. Much to his confusion, however, there was no response. Rather than repeat the same action to the same futility, Raven peered over at the front door, spotting the absence of the Pandorian's footwear.

Raven sighed a long one. "I suppose he's out doing something with Lady Cordelia. They are newly engaged, after all."

"I-I'm really happy for the two of them," the meek dancer squeaked out. "Um, have you started making plans?"

"Not yet," Raven responded. "We must have a Pandorian royal wedding, anything less is unacceptable."

"I see." Raven began placing things about in the intended storage places until he was alerted by the dancer. "Raven, your, um… pants are glowing."

Raven tilted his head in confusion before a lightbulb went off. Quickly and without a word, he took what space was left on the structure and placed the glowing object on the surface: a smooth circular piece of stone with red engravings all over, surrounding the brand notorious for his nation. A simple tap on the stone cause a smoke of purple to rise from it, sitting in the air without consistent form before it condensed and made a human figure that the swordsman recognized.

"Regulus," Raven spoke. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your talk?"

"Is the king with you?"

"My, my, Regulus, always so blunt," he chuckled. "It wouldn't strike you if you tried to keep up a conversation."

"Apologies, Commander, but this is urgent," Regulus retorted. "You must return as soon as possible."

"I am aware of Shuyo's hold on our nation," Raven sighed. "Unfortunately, I cannot simply jump the cannon and head back at the drop of a hat. Lord Eric must be notified and must affirm the trek back. As well as get his affairs in order."

"I ask not that you rush things, only that if and when you make the decision, you make it swift, Commander."

"Understood."

The figure of Regulus adjusted his face mask. "Now then… if you may be so kind to indulge me, Commander. What does our king look like?"

Raven reached into the confines of his cupboards after being excused by the crimson-clad mage. Removing a small black book from it, he flipped through its pages before showing his guest. And once eyes were laid on it, few others could say that they had ever seen Regulus EVER break his stoicism like he had in that moment, if ever so slightly.

"Something wrong, Regulus," Raven questioned.

Just as quickly as it was exposed, the mage covered up his expression yet again. "It's nothing. I hadn't expected the appearance to match that face. That will be all."

"Adieu."

Once the connection was cut, Regulus stood in place, still staring at the orb before him in the dark, dark room he called his working office. A pair of eyes, barely visible past his bangs, narrowed in thought. "So… that is our lord."

* * *

 **Eric PoV**

"You ruined my hair."

"I said I was sorry," was the entirety of the back-and-forth between Cordelia and I as we entered the main hall. You would think a woman who spends her career flying in the air more than she runs would be used to her hair being thrown about so wildly. She huffed with crossed arms, a certain emphasis in her rather brisk step as she tries to outpace me.

Though once I saw Sumia and Chrom at their thrones, while I was happy the two got hitched, namely that Chrom got his head out of the dirt, something poked away at me constantly. An apprehensive feeling, like something really unexpected was about to happen.

The two of us stood only a few feet away from the crown Exalt and Queen respectively, meeting their gazes with as much professionalism as needed, if nothing more than to keep up appearances for some of the… less lenient help. While Chrom stood up tall to greet us in the middle, Sumia stayed seated. Her eyes drifted downwards, more so towards Cordelia than myself, and I could have sworn I saw a twinkle in the grey-haired monarch's eye.

The sense of foreboding reached its zenith once I realized what was causing it. I also realized quickly that I was a little too close to the redhead as Sumia let out an elated squeal. But to me that was a warning to do the only thing that crossed my mind.

"Hit the dirt!" I called before diving to the side, leaving poor Cordelia to be tackled at sonic speeds by her friend.

"Oh my gods!" Sumia, now laying on top of her redheaded companion, squealed with glee as she perused the hand sporting the garnet-jeweled ring. "You and Eric got engaged, oh, I'm so happy!"

Chrom laughed at his wife's antics with a heavy sigh mixed in. "Sumia, honey, I'm glad you're happy, but I don't think Cordelia came here to get tackled. We have business to handle."

"Sorry," Sumia spoke quickly, jumping off of Cordelia just as quickly as she tackled her down. She patted at the dust on her lap as her fellow pegasus knight rose herself. "I'll compose myself." The Queen broke down into a barely contained whisper. "This is everything I ever wanted!"

"Right," Chrom coughed. "Well, the reason why I called you here is because there is something who wishes to speak to you."

"A diplomat?"

"No, but at the very least, they are not from Ylisse."

Chrom called for them to be brought forward, and once they got entered stage left, I was mortified. I could have sworn up and down that the room temperature dropped a significant degree. There were three people who were escorted into the hall, but the one in the middle was the one that shook me up the most. Her piercing glare betrayed nothing as her face was but an emotionless mask. Even the way she walked, the steps she took were composed and straddled the line balancing tense and relaxed.

I swallowed the ever-growing lump in my throat as she approached the center of the hall, only a few metres away from the rest of us. As fate would have it, my demons would not leave me alone, forever to haunt me as long as I drew breath. If that wasn't bad enough, Cordelia tugged on my arm, as if signalling to me that she knew something was amiss. This couldn't get any worse.

"Greetings, Eric. How do you do?"

"Say'ri," I replied, my voice reach a low baritone, half an octave lower than my usual. "I can certainly say I wasn't expecting you."

At the mention of her name, the previously chilly environment soon began increasing dramatically in temperature, what previously could be considered frozen was now burning up. I recognized it once before some time ago. The increase in heat and fury came directly from Cordelia. I placed a hand on the furious woman who stood beside me, which served to calm her for the moment. The slightest movement of the Chon'sinese princess's eyes alerted me that she caught this little act.

"I see you're partially mechanical now," Say'ri commented. "Pleased to see your form is in symmetry once more, even if it's heavier than you remember."

I could sense the tension in the room, it was palpable to say the least. Even still, her presence in the room alone told me something wasn't right. "How is Alice doing? She still rotting away in prison?"

"Indeed she is, many thanks to you and your charge…" The blade princess looked around in wonder. "Who doesn't seem to be present."

"He is occupied currently," I retorted curtly. "Now what brings you here? I am not the Exalt so I assume that this is a personal matter."

"A personal matter indeed," Say'ri replied with heavy emphasis on the word 'personal', directing her gaze towards the redhead at my side. "Would you mind sending everyone to their own devices so that Eric and I may be alone, Exalt?"

Praying above, and much to my relief, Chrom was able to read the room and responded concisely. "I do believe that some privacy is in order. With that said, I will grant the exception of attendance only to Lady Cordelia, so long as Lord Pandora agrees with this notion."

"I accept this," I stated, and with a shared glance with my fiancée, I gave a nod to the foreign princess. It only took but a slight moment for Chrom, Sumia, and the help of the Ylisseans to evacuate the room, leaving me alone with Say'ri and Cordelia.

A tense silence grew between the three of us for what felt like an eternity, feeling like a poor insect beneath a magnifying glass. I had all the spotlight, but the spotlight would probably kill me before too long.

"Okay, cut the crap," I broke through the silence, dropping all of the formalities. "What do you want?"

Say'ri paid me no mind, instead she tilted her head and had a laser focus on Cordelia, who knotted her own brows in confusion. A sharp exhale through the nose that I could tell was a snort of amusement and/or derision came from the princess. "So you must be Cordelia."

A slight bow was dealt out. "I've heard quite a few things about you back in Chon'sin. Eric certainly described you in earnest, yet I feel he did not do you justice. Stunning, to say the minimum."

"Thank you," Cordelia replied hesitantly. I expected something entirely different from this; this was not the jealousy-ridden Say'ri I left behind.

"Beautiful, and smart and strong to boot. I hear from the Exalt she is the captain of Ylissean Pegasus Knight brigade. Certainly a lofty title."

I didn't like where this was going.

"Well, someone has to carry such a responsibility," Cordelia replied. "Inappropriate as it may sound, but I don't see anyone else more qualified for it."

"And humble," Say'ri chuckled, sarcasm obvious in her choice of words. "I'd expect nothing less from the fiancée of my childhood friend. Eric, what wonderful taste you have."

I REALLY didn't like where this was going.

"So…" Say'ri began, trailing off on her thoughts before adopting a merciless grin. "Have you two consummated?"

I choked back on my own spit. "W-what?!" I barked, mirroring Cordelia's words.

The princess shook her head in amusement. "No, I figured not. I just suppose that you two are rather new, so your relationship hasn't reached the upper echelons quite yet."

This time it was my turn. "I'll have you know that our relationship is just fine, and whether or not my lovely lady here and I have engaged in such acts is not in your place to comment on. And I would thank you to respect that."

"Apologies," Say'ri replied. "It was out of line, yes. Although… that makes things the slightest bit more complex."

"Complex?" I tilted my head, not too happy about what the outcome of this may be. "Why?"

"Lady Cordelia?"

The redhead in question perked up at the sound of her name. "What is it?"

What used to be a straight, emotionless mask contorted into a dark, unrelenting, and cold stare. "I highly suggest that you stay far away from Eric from this point forward. We don't require the burden."

Sparks erupted into intense flame. "What did you just say?!"

"Ugh, not this again." I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Say'ri, did we or did we not discuss this back in Chon'sin? Or did the slap knock the memory right out of your head? I've told you before and I'll tell you again, mark me. What happened between us," I pointed back and forth between her and I, "was a mistake. You and I were both drunk, you came onto me, and things were done that should never have seen the light of day. Let it be said that I am to blame in this as well, in my inebriation, I did not stop it. However, what's done is done, and what was done meant nothing."

I let out a sympathetic sigh. "I love Cordelia. She the woman of my life, and nothing will shake that."

Say'ri's eyebrows knitted in anger, and it seemed that while Cordelia was on the verge of tears, she had a small smile on her face. As if she knew she had won the battle against the blade princess. Taking her hand in mine, Cordelia walked past the Chon'sinese woman who appeared to be stuck in time, perpetually frozen in the middle of the hall like a statue on display. Her shoulders heaved ever so often, her head tilted down to keep her weakness from showing. Her fists, gripping so tightly, it could crush coal to diamond. Cold as ice, her next few words permeated the air with a heavy, somber, and dreadful tone.

"Fie… Never in an eternity would I have surmised you were the type to turn your back on your family."

My blood ran cold. I turned back to face her with widened eyes and a literal iron grip. "...what did you just say…"

"You heard me."

"Say'ri… you're playing with me right now… don't fucking play with me…"

Well, if there was one time that I could admit to say that I was wrong, it would be now. This just got ten times worse than it was before.

The princess placed a tender hand on her flat stomach. "Don't turn back on your child…"

* * *

 **FD: ….is Cordelia around?**

 **Tychon: I don't think so.**

 **Lancer: Let's…. Just keep this between us.**

 **FD: Did you take away her lances?**

 **Raven: Already taken care of, milord.**

 **FD: Raven?! What are you doing here?! And where the hell were you when I was getting threatened with CASTRATION by Cordelia?!**

 **Raven: I wanted to see how things played out.**

 **FD: Fuck you.**

 **Well… Fell Dragonite ou-OH SHIT, CORDELIA, RUN!**


	9. Tipping Point

**A/N: Hello everyone, and we are back with Decisions. So I know what I said in the update I left a little while back, and it was true for the most part. However, I found myself struggling looking for a job, my girlfriend and I were just trying to make things bearable if at all, and with the holidays, it had been a lot for me to try and handle mentally. So what did I do when everything in my life was going to shit?**

 **I was writing this chapter.**

 **It was the only thing I could do, the only thing not going wrong that I could escape through. Oh, and uh, I guess you could say this is a late Christmas gift for those who still read this. Sorry about that. DP, Saya, Tychon and Lance aren't here with me right now because they don't know this chapter was in production, so I hope they like this too.**

 **I own nothing. As usual.**

* * *

 **Music: Sen Ikusa by Wagakki Band**

 **(Instrumental)** _The Brand of Pandora falls down while spinning, landing on a familiar forehead with bangs. The perspective shifts back slightly to show Eric looking up ahead, while Chrom's side profile is shown facing the other direction behind the former. Their respective brands plaster the background as Chrom stands with a hand on his hip and Eric stands with arms crossed. Then Sumia crouches on one knee in front of Cordelia, an emblem of upward curving wings beside them. Next, Frederick, Raven, and Robin, each with their respective weapons of an axe, sword, and tome in hand, accompanied by a scythe and dragon emblem. Next, Walhart stands tall with Wolf Berg on his shoulder with the emblem reminiscent of his axe beside him. Then the black scene receives two slashes to reveal the black scene to show the title "Fire Emblem: Decisions_

 **(Kataku chikatta yurenai omoi nara koko ni aru darou?)** _Falchion and Eternity stand in the ground in an X when suddenly, Eric and Chrom run through from each side and grab their respective weapons. With flame emitted from the blade, Eric swung a few times, a torrent of fire torching the scene_

 **(Shinnen aru nara surechigai mo mata hitsuzen darouka kotae wa izuko da)** _Chrom slashes the screen accompanied by powerful gusts of wind, and a battlefield of troops are blown away with an explosion, revealing the two kings back to back grinning at one another over their shoulder. A familiar background of royal blue is displayed behind Robin as he points forward, Frederick appears on screen with an axe in hand. Raven, armed with Uramasa and a smile, each of the two on Robin's left and right sides. A red background replaces the blue, with Walhart holding his Wolf Berg. Yen'fay, Excellus and Cervantes each appear at Walhart's side before Yen'fay slashes the scene_

 **(Iza, maichire sakura saite inochi no aru kagiri maire)** _A silver lance, a steel sword, and Uramasa lock with one another, the scene widens to show Frederick, Robin and Raven smiling at the sky, making a pact of sorts. Now, the Shepherds all stand in a group with Vaike pointing up at the screen, then the scene switches to a black background, with both Aversa and Validar standing parallel to each other while a pair of ominous red eyes glow on a darkened face_

 **(Aa, mou dare ni mo inai fuwari, kaze ga naida)** _Chrom stands beneath a veil of sakura trees, petals dancing along the wind in the glow of the moonlight. Sumia hugs the prince from behind, bringing a warm smile to his face as he places a hand on Sumia's. Meanwhile, Eric looks out at the crescent moon over a cliff. Cordelia looks at him with worry and sadness in her eyes with a hand on her chest._

 **(Hanate, hanate ikusa he inotte, inotte mirai he)** _A bolt of Thoron is launched from Robin's hand, Frederick attacks with his lance, then Sumia and Cordelia charge through the sky with their lances in hand. A familiar blue haired swordswoman stands with her hand on Chrom's sword, surrounded by 15 silhouettes before one of them jump out to cut the scene with a purple flash_

 **(Waratte, waratteruyouni douka, chikai no nakade chirasetekure)** _A young Chrom and Eric run side by side with smiles on their faces before the scene cuts to a dreary looking castle, the two now adult royals charge at Walhart with swords in hand. Chrom avoids a strike from Walhart as Eric jumps in the air and meets the Conqueror's axe, the force cracking the ground beneath them and causing it to explode_

 **(Sono kokoro, makoto ni musou)** _Falchion and Eternity fall from the skies and land in an X once more. A freeze frame of Eric and Chrom both running is displayed, Cordelia and Sumia appear next near their respective love interests, then Raven appears in the middle in front with a hand on his hip and a smile. Frederick stands on Chrom's side with hands behind his back, Robin, on Eric's side with a hand on his chin in thought. Finally, a large portrait style view of Walhart towering behind them all, ending the opening._

* * *

"Don't turn your back on your child…"

Hearing those words dance across the air directly to my ears made everything around me slow to a crawl. I felt a lump grow in my throat with every passing second, making it a tough one to swallow. The hall was so silent, one could hear a pin dropping to the ground, every minute clink of the metal tip rebounding off of the stone floors as loud as the sound of an arrow bouncing off of thick plated metal. I could barely keep myself standing up on my own two feet, my legs gradually getting weaker and weaker beneath me. What had been going so great in my life previously was going to shit. Like fragile glass, everything was shattering in front of my very own eyes.

The only thing to bring me from my doldrums was a dull thud, following that noise was the sight of Chrom collapsed on the ground, to which Sumia went and dragged him out of the nearby area, at least enough to be out of sight and of earshot.

Focusing back on the two women around me, I felt my mouth going dry and my hands becoming clammy. While the feeling was not new to me, I was still at a loss for words nonetheless. Out of nowhere, I find out that I'm going to be a father to a child, that isn't with the woman I am engaged to. What does one do in this situation, I wonder. If only Naga had the answer.

"Say'ri… are you serious…" I kept my eyes away from her sight. "I'm… going to be a father…?"

She gave a small smile. "Yes," she whispered. "I know not its gender yet, but I know so far it is healthy."

She delivered something one would consider such good news, but there was nothing happy about this. This event is tearing everything asunder, all while having a slight grin as if she had this planned down to every minute detail. I drew out a long, pained sigh before turning around to Cordelia, she had been very quiet this entire time, and one could tell just by looking at her. She'd been frozen in spot completely along with her facial features. Her eyes, glazed over with a look none other that deep shock and trauma, stared off into the open air. Not a single sound came from her, save for the light breaths she took in and out at regular intervals. "Cordelia?"

In an almost robotic manner, her eyes slowly fixed themselves on mine, which had me scared on a whole other level, even had me taking a slight step back. I'd been around the Scarlet Ace enough to know this look behind her eyes. Someone was more than likely going to die. And somehow, I had the creeping feeling that I was at the top of that list.

The violet orbs presented an empty void, devoid of any hint of her inner thoughts and emotions, they were hard and they didn't even blink, not a moment's chance was spared from her stare. Then, as if nothing more than a mere flicker, a spark of light shone through them. Life had been restored to the deep, dark pools. In fact, they doubled up and over into one more powerful emotion: rage.

My expression shifted from one of fear to one of compassion and repentance. "Cherry, I-"

A harsh resounding smack echoed throughout the hall, sending my form reeling a couple steps back. Pain spread throughout my face at the point of contact, dulling and intensifying with every pulse of my heartbeat. The sensation brought a wave of pins and needles coursing through my body, adrenaline flushing my system as I held my cheek. I chanced a look at my attacker, and once my eyes laid upon hers once more, I felt grip my heart, something shattered inside.

The previously empty eyes now gave birth to tears threatening to spill over, faltering ever so slightly which gave way to a single stream, the tear rolling down her face. Her chest heaved irregularly as she tried to hold back sobs, and all together, her features, the pinnacle of beauty itself, were marred by the pain and tears of despair that I caused.

I righted my posture, forgetting all about the physical pain of her strike. The hit did more emotional damage to me than anything else, if I were being honest. Never had she ever struck me with such intent before, and I could very well tell you, in all of my years of combat, I'd been electrocuted, impaled, cut open, beaten to a bloody pulp, but that single strike was the single most painful thing in my entire life.

I couldn't even get the words out of my mouth before the redheaded woman fled the scene, her movements leaving little more than a red blur as she sped out of the castle entrance. I had one of two choices: either leave her alone and potentially leave the outcome of this predicament to chance, or go after her and try to salvage what was left. Biting the proverbial bullet, I shot a brief glance at the Chon'sinese princess before bolting after the pegasus knight. The knight in question stomped halfway through the gardens between the front entrance and the gates before I managed to catch up to her.

"Cordelia," I called, trying to get her attention. She didn't hesitate at all, continuing on her path away from me. "Cordelia, please don't do this. Talk to me, damn it!"

No response still. It wouldn't be until I grabbed her wrist that she finally turned to face me. Beneath her eyes were already puffy and red, she had forgone the poorly crafted façade she put up in front of the foreign princess and I and let the tears flow free, rage, hurt and sadness clearly written on her face. "There is nothing I want to talk about right now," she said in a dark, low voice.

I huffed out a breath of frustration. "This isn't something we can just sweep underneath the rug and talk about later."

"Like you did with this Say'ri character, huh?"

I winced at that comment. "That's not fair. I told you that this happened before we were even together, I did not have any inkling of this outcome!" I grit my teeth, biting back the anger bubbling up and instead trying to keep a level head. "I could have just said nothing and left you in the dark entirely! I risked losing you before you were even mine just so we could start off clean! I think I deserve a mature conversation about this!"

The redheaded woman's brow furrowed dangerously, her ill temper rising dramatically. "You want a mature conversation? Okay. Let's go over the facts. You go to a foreign land and fornicate with some random woman, then you come back and claim your love for me," she snapped. "Am I to assume you thought this would blow over and you'd have a happily ever after?!"

"You make it sound like my confession was empty," I snarled. "Need I remind you that even that event was a mistake? I had no intentions of courting another woman, and I had eyes for no one else but you! Hell, I almost got KILLED thinking of you!"

"I'm sure you did," Cordelia spoke, her voice quivering.

I pinched the bridge of my nose for the umpteenth time. "Okay, perhaps we need to take a step back. This is extremely rough, but we can get through this, Cherry," I whispered softly.

She shook her head with a sad smile. "You know… I don't think we can."

My heart sank, tearing its way through the lower parts of my being towards the ground. "What?"

"You don't get it, Eric," Cordelia sobbed. "It was one thing to be involved with another woman in the past, but it's something else completely for her to bear your child. YOUR CHILD. You will soon have a family. And it won't be with me."

Another heavy sob wracked her being. "It hurts. Love really does hurt. Especially when you fall in love with someone you know you can't be with. First with Chrom, and now with you. I really thought I found requited love with you, but I guess I was wrong yet again."

She slowly removed the band around her finger, placing it on the ground at her feet. "I can't take this. Not anymore."

This time, as she left the castle grounds, I made no effort to go after her. I was left petrified, a husk of what used to be a man standing before a relinquished ring. Dull eyes fell upon the object before it was picked up, clenching it tightly in my grasp. There were so many different things I was feeling at that particular moment, and I had no clue which one of them should be used. I felt like crying right then and there. Or I felt like destroying the entirety of the castle that stood before me. As my indecisiveness carried me towards the castle entrance, I settled for a forlorn sigh.

I walked past the Chon'sinese princess with not a single glance her way, lest I set her on fire with my mind. "I hope you're happy, you harlot."

"Harlot?"

The woman had the gall to be offended. "Yes, harlot. You were the one who came onto me. You know, despite knowing my feelings on the matter."

"You weren't complaining that night, were you now?"

"If I knew it would lead to this, I never would have let this happen to begin with." I ran my hand through my hair. "Now look what happened."

"Where did the other one go?" she asked.

"She left," I barked. "She left the castle, gone Naga knows where, and she's far too upset to be reasoned with."

I didn't see it, though I could feel her nodding in agreement, and while I will never know specifically why, it made my blood boil. "You know what your problem is?" I whipped around to face her. "You're godsdamned selfish. You tricked me in all of this, and now that you find out that you're pregnant, you STILL want to catch me in your clutches, no matter who it is you step on next! I'm not going to have this. I'm not going to let you win this time."

"How do you mean?"

"Let me make it clear to you," I hissed. "You are using that unborn child as a crutch. So the solution here is simple. Get rid of the child."

The swordswoman's eyes widened in shock. "What? Pray, did I hear you clearly?!"

"Crystal. Once that thing inside is gone, you will depart back to Chon'sin, and be out of my life for good. I want no part of you, our ties are done after this."

"Fie, you can't-!"

"I believe I just did." And without another word spoken, I walked onward to speak to Chrom. And hopefully, he had some of his liquor stashed away for me to find.

* * *

 **Narrator PoV**

It had been three days since the events of that night took place. And let it be said that those three days were certainly… stifling, to say the least. Cordelia and Eric spent that night together, neither one saying so much as a word to the other even up until the morning after. Say'ri had spent her three days in a spare room in the castle, as per Sumia's insistence, and despite Chrom's protest. Their days went on as usual, though the couple rarely saw each other now, perhaps once or twice in the given span of time, and for no more than to share a look of sadness between one another. Adding insult to injury, Cordelia just couldn't seem to stay out of Say'ri's eyesight, the woman was everywhere! They spotted one another when she was working, when she was managing inventory, and even on her spare time going around the capital. And it always seemed like she had this grin of utter triumph on her face, like a child who got their way. It was infuriating!

She still had to keep her wits about her, however. As much as she wanted to grind the princess's face into the dirt with her bootheel, she had to show some tact. Being the captain of the Pegasus Knights, she had a reputation to uphold and an example to set.

"No, no, no," Cordelia huffed, micromanaging a rather plucky knight as she attempted the techniques demonstrated by the redhead. "You don't swing the lance into your attack, you thrust straight on." This was the fourth time today she had nitpicked at the tiniest flaw in her trainees' performances, even she had to admit that this was unlike her. "I need some tea," she sighed, rubbing her temples.

As soon as her head rose, she saw her. The same princess who threw her life into so much godsdamned turmoil. Leaning against the entrance to the fields with her arms crossed and a ghost of a smile on her face. Taunting her. Tormenting her.

"And the migraine continues," she growled. "Take five, ladies."

"Interesting set-up you possess here," the swordswoman proclaimed.

"Look here, I don't want to hear you gloat or do anything of that nature. So unless you've come here with a legitimate purpose, I would ask you kindly to leave," Cordelia barked.

"Gloat?" Say'ri tilted her head, forcing a slight growl to leave the knight's mouth. "Fie, you make it out as if I won something. I came here to ask of Eric's whereabouts."

The redhead turned her head away at the princess. "Apologies, but I don't know where he is at the moment, nor do I really care. If you're that eager to find him, I suggest you ask Chrom. More likely than not, he'll know where he is."

"I see." Say'ri nodded away at the curt response. "Naga knows these plans have to move along with a little more haste."

"Plans?" Cordelia asked, turning back towards the brunette. "What plans?"

"Oh, it appears I ran my mouth far too swiftly," she gasped. "Well, in any case, you didn't think that I came here just to let Eric know of the child, did you? If he is going to raise it, he would have to come with me back to Chon'sin."

One could actually hear something in Cordelia's head snap. "Well, aren't we ahead of ourselves? I don't know what amount of seawater you must have ingested on your way here, but there is no way you will get your claws in him."

Say'ri's brow rose. "Oh? And tell me, what makes you think so?"

"Sadly for you, my dear friend, he is already taken, and is engaged. To ME."

"You weren't singing that same tune a few nights past," Say'ri shot back, alluding to the removal of her ring. "If anything, I'd say that you were on the verge of conced-"

The wall, just mere inches next to the princess's face, cracked at the pure force of Cordelia's fist hitting the surface, quite a terrifying show of the woman's strength in rage. "Like hell I would concede to you."

Murmurs and whispers grew in volume around the two, making the pegasus knight grind her teeth. "Go on, to the barracks, nothing to see here!"

Say'ri's grin almost became predatorial. "Nay, allow them the mercy of being witness."

"Witness to what?" Cordelia asked, not prepared for the moment when steel was flashed in front of her face.

"Your failure."

"Madness," Cordelia declared. "Is Eric really worth that much to you? That you would kill me to get him?"

"And sully my hands with your blood? Good heavens, no," she answered, much to the confusion and ire of the redhead.

"Then what are you talking about?"

"I speak merely of a simple duel," Say'ri hummed, letting her fingers dance on the hilt of her blade. "If you win, you live happily with him, and I shall leave you two alone for good."

Cordelia shot a dead-serious glare. "And if I lose?"

"Then your days with him are over."

Cordelia nodded in understanding, deeply analyzing the terms laid out in this so-called duel as she walked away to grab her lance. As long as it was one on one, she had the advantage. Lancework was her specialty, and it seemed to the knight that Say'ri worked with swords. This would work out in her favour, as her discipline in weaponry gave her an inherent edge. Coupled with the fact that she trained constantly, she had a lot of pride and far too little doubt that she would lose to this foreign woman.

She hefted the metal weapon in her hand and pointed it at Say'ri. "Alright then, you're on. But you best be careful… I can't help if I draw a little bit of blood."

With little warning, much to the horror of the audience they unintentionally forgot about, the two charged at each other. Cordelia with her lance coming low, and Say'ri with her blade coming high. Each were about to make contact with their intended target before both were halted by a third party.

"That's enough," Raven bellowed in a low and stern voice, an extremely rare sight to behold. Cordelia's spear struggled beneath Raven's boot, and Say'ri's pressure wasn't enough against the might of Uramasa on his back. "I may not be either your superior, but I will not tolerate such belligerence."

A sudden powerful wave shot out from Raven's body, blowing back the two women and sending them crashing to the ground. Say'ri ended up colliding with the wall that Cordelia had dented just seconds before while the crimson-haired knight skated across the dirt floor. Huffing in frustration, the loyal Pandorian advisor kicked the spear to the side out of anyone's way before he sheathed his katana.

He clicked his tongue in annoyance. "You heard the woman. To the barracks, nothing to see here." The clamour of dispersing female recruits followed Raven's order, his mouth pulling itself into a straight line as the two women picked themselves off of the ground. "Now then, you two…"

He crossed his arms sternly. "To what is this little scuffle owed to?"

Offering a moment of silence for an answer to be found, his patience came up fruitless. "Well, I'll take a shot in the dark and assume it is on behalf of Lord Eric." Two nods was his quick and concise answer. "If that is the case, then you two are behaving in a rather disappointing manner."

"Disappointing, you say?" Say'ri barked. "Explain."

"What is there to explain?" Raven questioned. "You two were out for each other's blood like animals. If I hadn't stepped in, I'm certain Lord Chrom would have had one of his men mop up your bodily fluids. It's one thing to start a duel, but I didn't think you would have stooped to such levels, Lady Cordelia."

Despite voicing his personal opinion, it elicited no audible response from neither the redheaded knight or the well-spoken swordswoman. Cracking a small grin, he collapsed to the ground, crossing his legs and laying his idle hands on his knees. "Alright… we need to come to a consensus here or this will spiral out of control. I expect that there will be no interruptions, starting with you, Lady Cordelia. You may begin."

She darted her eyes between Raven and Say'ri back and forth for a brief moment before turning her nose up at the two present, huffing with crossed arms. Say'ri did something similar to this, save for an additional inaudible curse that barely managed to weasel its way out of her mouth.

"Whether you two like it or not, this matter will be solved. At least before milord destroys the-" Raven's statement was cut off as the castle and the ground tremored. Not enough to cause massive damage, but enough to knock the other two in the area to their feet. "-Northroad. Just perfect."

"Northroad?!" Cordelia shouted. "But… that's almost three hours away by horse! The hell is he doing?"

"He's releasing some steam," Raven groaned as another explosion boomed in the distance. "Understandably, he's… not coping well."

He clapped his hands twice. "This is why I'm trying to get to the bottom of this. So just take a deep breath in and out." He gestured his permission to the redhead, pushing her to go first, which she wasn't very eager to do. She appreciated that Raven wished to play therapist, but her pride kept eating at her, telling her not to splay her inner thoughts out. She would handle them herself, that wasn't too difficult a task, was it?

And yet, she still had to consider how well her path of direction was going for her. Or rather the opposite. Ultimately, she gave one of her trademark sighs, and relented. "As far as the Shepherds, and even half of the halidom knows, the two of us love each other, and we've been with each other for a few months now. Ever since he got back, actually. He told me about him and Say'ri, but I let it go because he and I weren't together at the time. From that point forward, he and I had little to no problems. The occasional spat here and there, but nothing worth two coins."

Raven nodded once before letting her continue. "Yes, and how did that make you feel Cordelia?"

"Honestly," she breathed. "It shattered me. To think that everything he and I had been through would be swept away in an instant."

"Fie! What nonsense!" Say'ri jumped, attacking Cordelia's statement.

"Princess Say'ri, pipe down, it is not your turn-"

"Curse your turn foolishness," she retorted before turning her wrath on Cordelia. "How dare you! At least you can call him yours! I cannot! This unborn child is the only thing I have of him to call my own! And even in that instance, it may leave my grasp!"

"Now hold on," the knight declared. "You claim to be his long-time friend. If your friendship was true, you would know that he's not heartless like that, he would stand by you and his son or daughter!"

Say'ri's voice wavered on her lips. "Is that the reason he told me to rid myself of it?"

Cordelia's face softened at this revelation, and Raven's eyes widened in shock. Equal distribution of this went to both the pain and vulnerability Say'ri was exhibiting, and the shock that such a thing would dare even leave the Pandorian royal's mouth. "What did he do?"

"He told me to get rid of the child growing inside, just so he and you could live your happy lives together," the swordswoman cried. "He would be willing to hurt me to such a degree just for your sake. That infuriates me. Such disrespect to me as a woman, and as a mother, all for someone he barely even knows."

Cordelia let her gaze fall to her feet. "You… resent me, don't you?"

A lone tear streaked down the brunette's face. "I do."

A tense silence hung in the air, long since overstaying its welcome before Raven cut through it. "I think you both are being selfish."

His comment got him hurt and angered glares, so he coughed into his fist for an elaboration. "You two no doubt have had your demons the last few days in particular, and they've been very stressful to say the least. Now, imagine how milord feels. Not only does he take center stage in this, but he is also pressed with a life changing decision here."

"Life changing decision?" Cordelia asked.

"He may not have ever told you two, but aside from vengeance on Plegia and Gangrel, all he ever wanted was a family of his own. He was orphaned at a very young age, forced to live in agonizing solitude for as long as he's lived. It's part of the reason why he searches for his brother to this day. To fill the void he's had to endure for decades. And now, when he's finally on the precipice of that ambition, it's being torn away from him even worse. He wants to be a outstanding father, but he also loves you dearly, Cordelia. More than his own life."

He taps his knee with a solitary finger. "Yet now he's forced to make a choice between his love or his family. And it's tearing him apart."

Another boom shook the grounds, prompting him to rise. "Well, I better go on and speak some sense into my king before he levels the entire area," he called as he proceeded to take off into the sky. "Try not to maim each other before His Majesty returns."

* * *

 **Eric PoV**

"Hi-yah!" Crackling with the power of electricity, my leg splintered the large tree before me like a buzzsaw, sending the larger portion of it to the earth with a loud crash of rustling leaves and cracked timber. Yet another exertion, nowhere near close to ending my problems nor my frustration, but it was a start. It was the closest thing I was willing to go to relieve myself that didn't start with 'a' and end in 'hol'. Though as I looked around, I slowly began to realize that my method was dwindling in effectiveness; there weren't too many trees or boulders left to smash and I had way too much on my mind for the landscape to cover it. Closing my wells of magic, the buzzing light across my leg dimmed down to nothing, as I opted to take a seat against the new stump I fashioned. I figured a little bit of rest would be the best course of action here, lest my brain blow from an aneurysm.

I laid against the wood, strewn limbs out at mercy of mental exhaustion. Panting out breaths, feeling the cooling embrace of sweat on my body, I had a wave of new thoughts rushing through my mind, varying in degree, in importance, and in priority. But the one thought that was at the forefront of my mind, the one at the top of the list at this moment…

I was thirsty as hell.

My tongue felt like it was shrivelling in my mouth, so I decided to psycho-magic myself some water. Luckily, where I was, there was a nearby stream I could make use of. With a clap of my hands and some ingenuity, I waved my hands and pulled over a sizeable orb of water from the stream. Slowly, it floated its way over, the bubble of clear, life-sustaining liquid looking tantalizing with every passing second. It was inches away from my grasp until a sudden gust of wind popped it, sending the water all over my face and torso.

I shook my dampened hair out of my face. "Well… at least I'm somewhat refreshed," I reasoned.

"Milord," Raven began with a with a small frown. "I know you have been a little stressed out lately, but this…" He gestured around him and I, seeing the once green and beautiful Northroad now a range of burnt ozone and blackened soil. "...this is ridiculous. The poor animals…"

"Yes, I know, I know." I spit out a mass of sputum off to the side. "On the bright side, I'm on a resting period, so now's the time to speak while I'm on-"

Suddenly, Raven picks me by the collar firmly, dragging me up inches away from his face. "-break."

Without any warning nor remorse, he planted a fist straight into my cheek, sending me to the ground. I held my jaw in pain. "Raven, what the hell?!"

"You need it." Another growl escaped his mouth before he grabbed my collar yet again. "You cannot keep going like this. Destruction or not, you are still going to be a father, and you can't leave this to magically fix itself!"

"I know that, dumbass!" I shouted. "It's… it's just been a lot to take in. I need to settle myself, okay? It's not everyday you are told you're going to be a parent. And Cordelia, I-"

"I am aware, and while I can't relate, I can try my hand at helping," Raven replied. "It's what I do as your knight and advisor. This isn't who you are, moping around and dragging your feet. You are a take-charge kind of person, I know it and Lady Cordelia knows it. Your ladylove may be hurt, but it will make it worse if you simply ignore her. She loves you nonetheless and she always will."

He let go of my collar, smoothing it out. "So please, milord… rather than eliminate the native species…" He addressed the surrounding area. "...we need you to pull your head out of your ass and be the man and king we know and love."

I couldn't help but chuckle at Raven's miniature speech. "You know… your words have risen my spirits twofold; by your unrivalled charisma and by your rare, yet deliberate use of a curse word."

"Lovely," Raven said with yet another smile. "Now if you would, let us head back to Ylisstol. And no more forest levelling."

I scratched the back of my head. "No promises."

* * *

In a short while, my living room had four people in it; Raven, Say'ri, Cordelia and myself, each of us sitting on either a chair or the sofa. The two women, while exhibiting their own symptoms of nervousness and anticipation, their respective gazes were locked on my figure, begging me to break the ever-toughening ice. Me, I had my fingers laced together across my face, eyes closed in thought as I leaned towards the center of our little circle. When I think about it, often times when I was in person with any one of these three, our conversations would seamlessly start up, snowball, and flow into countless different topics, for hours on end at times. Now, you'd be lucky if a cough sounded out to instill some life in the room. The one who would break this silence looming us all would hold a lofty task, the words would be chosen carefully.

And unfortunately, I was the one to do it.

"So," I said, briefly pausing to gather and align my thoughts. "These last three days have not been very kind to anyone. Which, before anything else goes on, I wish to thank you, Raven, being as dutiful as always."

"Dutiful, no," he corrected. "It was a matter of choice."

I shrugged. "Right. Anyway, we need to figure out a way to move forward. It's a very difficult decision to make, but I fear that it needs a clear answer. And should you have one, please voice it."

Cordelia's eyes followed an indistinct pattern on the decorative carpet, still fidgeting with her thumbs. Say'ri tapped her finger on her thigh rhythmically. Telltale signs to me that they had something on their mind, but to afraid or hesitant to voice it.

I sighed. No one was going to like what I had but it was the only way known. "Say'ri, I still stand by what I said to you the night you arrived. In my own personal opinion, I believe the best course of action is for you to rid yourself of it before it is too late."

The swordswoman rose out of her seat. "Gods above, again with this?!" she cried in outrage.

"Milord!" Raven scolded me.

"Don't you 'milord' me!" I barked back. "I said I would be there for my child, and as far as I'm concerned, I do not have one as of this moment! That unborn child is the only thing that is causing this three-way drama, and it's the only weapon Say'ri has to halt things between Cordelia and I."

A sharp exhale left my nose before I hung my head. "The only logical explanation is that she gets rid of it. Plain and simple."

Say'ri ground her teeth together, trying her hardest trying to fight back the tears springing to her eyes. She'd clenched her dainty fists so hard, her knuckles had easily been resembling the colour of clouds in the sky. "How dare you still?! Haven't you come to realize that it is not simply your progeny? It is mine as well! It is a part of me, it beats the same heart as I! I cannot end its life so quickly for the cause of you not wanting to associate with me!"

"Milord, with all due respect, I will not allow this! Your love for Cordelia does not take precedence over your responsibility as a future father!" Raven slammed an open palm on his arm rest as he shot up to standing position. "If you are going to recklessly involve yourself with the likes of women, then you will have to pay the consequences for your actions!"

"Be careful with what you say before you overstep a line, Raven." I said, my voice dangerously low.

Raven furrowed his brow, clearly not happy with my position on the matter, but ultimately, he bit his tongue and relented. It was a heartless thing to do, sure, but could there be another possible solution? I did not see it.

"Why must you be so insistent on this particular answer?!" Say'ri bawled.

I could feel the veins in my forehead pushing to the surface. "Because you are only using this child as leverage against me! You think I'm going to drop Cordelia for you just because you're pregnant with mine and it's not going to work! I wouldn't leave my child to the wayside, but I'm not going to hurt another just to stroke your own satisfaction!"

The room, as quickly as it escalated into the higher end of the volume scale, it died down just as swiftly. A tense moment of silence had played out before the heartbroken Chon'sinese woman fell back into her seat, breaking down into tears with her face in her hands, trembling furiously. The rage, the anger that had filled my heart towards her, had begun to melt and dissipate in that moment. Not the rage I had just now, but every last bit since the moment she and I saw each other months ago. I could feel my breath hitching ever so slightly, my eye and lower lip shaking if even just a little. This woman, she was my childhood friend, she had been many a fond memory and a moving part in my life, and I could honestly say that I probably would not be the same person if not for her. While our meetings had been far between and few, she and I had been through thick and thin.

It was only for a moment that I didn't notice a stream of moisture run down my face. I was far too stubborn and stupid to see it before, now everything had hit me all at once. She gave everything to me, and I had done nothing but trample on it. I yelled at her, I abused her. Toyed with her psyche. It all took the toll on her, and when I saw her, crying like this in front of me, I could only hear three words in my head repeat themselves like a mantra.

I broke her.

"Say'ri… I'm sorry…"

I couldn't keep myself in check, my heart was in control of my body now. I hung my head, heavy with the weight of guilt as I obscured my face from view. "This is all my fault."

She sniffled a breath as she looked up at me, her eyes reddened. "I beg your pardon?"

"I was completely inconsiderate of your feelings, and I've hurt you so much, in more ways than one. I'm the reason you have life growing within you, and I'm here trying to destroy it, rather than nurture it. I suppose it's proof enough that I'm not ready to be a father."

I turned my gaze to Cordelia. "And I apologize to you as well, Cordelia. I thought that simply telling you about what happened months ago would have had us start off well, but as it were, I was naive to think so. Leading you on, I know how much you've had your heart broken before, only to receive this bullshit. And now look at this."

I swallowed a lump in my throat. "You both deserve better than this."

I rose out of my seat, where now my smile was visible. It could have fooled anyone, if not for the thin streaks that lined my cheeks. My body felt like lead now, yet at the same time it felt unbound. Like it had gone completely slack, devoid of life. With the same lifeless steps, I approached the two women who sat opposite of me, each of them wearing their own confused expressions. "Eric…? What's going…"

The redheaded goddess trailed off her sentence as I pulled her into a warm and tight embrace, devoid of any other thoughts aside from sorrow and gratitude, oddly enough. She wrapped her arms around me in return, hesitant in her hold. A second passed before I whispered to her "Goodbye, Cordelia."

A small gasp left her mouth as I faced her with the same solemn expression I wore previously, the smile doing its hardest to deceive the two from the real face inside. Her eyes met mine, widened to the size of dinner plates, and before she could commit to a response, I planted a chaste kiss on her forehead. Pure.

Then I moved to Say'ri. Her sorrowful brown orbs crossed paths with my own soft ones before I reached down to hug her as well. Like Cordelia, she had returned the hug with the same amount of awkwardness, unsure as to how to respond. "Goodbye, Say'ri."

I flashed them a sad closed-eye smile before making my way to the entrance of the living room where Raven had been. He, too, was unsure where this was going, his bemused brow and tilted head gave it away. Wordlessly, I went through my pocket until my hand met what I was searching for. Asking for Raven to hold out his hand, which he openly accepted to doing, I placed the object in the center of his palm before closing his hand around it. His eyes widened ever so slightly at his hand, then at me.

"Hold onto it for the time being," I implored him. "It won't work. I won't be needing it anymore."

The three were left in shock as I took a few of my belongings and left the household, with no particular place in town I was aiming to go. I had brought my pack with me and I was missing only two things, both of which were left to Raven.

My sword that I left at home.

And the ring for Cordelia.

* * *

 **A/N: Does anyone need some rope or perhaps a climbing pick? I reckon it sucks hanging from the cliff. ...Eh? Anyone? No? Okay. Well, in any case, I hope you all enjoy your holidays. Fell Dragonite out.**


	10. Trouble in the Wind

**Lance: You just love to jerk your readers around, eh, Drago? *chuckles***

 **FD: I don't follow.**

 **Tychon: Um, did you not remember the last chapter you put out? You made Severa cry. Which is already rare as it is. Y-you better apologize to her!**

 **FD: Oh, I will. Somehow. Eventually.**

 **Now I know what you all are thinking. "THREE chapters in the same month? Are you modifying your upload schedule?" Short answer: no. It is still sporadic as ever.**

 **We own nothing. On to the chapter!**

* * *

 **Music: Sen Ikusa by Wagakki Band**

 **(Instrumental)** _The Brand of Pandora falls down while spinning, landing on a familiar forehead with bangs. The perspective shifts back slightly to show Eric looking up ahead, while Chrom's side profile is shown facing the other direction behind the former. Their respective brands plaster the background as Chrom stands with a hand on his hip and Eric stands with arms crossed. Then Sumia crouches on one knee in front of Cordelia, an emblem of upward curving wings beside them. Next, Frederick, Raven, and Robin, each with their respective weapons of an axe, sword, and tome in hand, accompanied by a scythe and dragon emblem. Next, Walhart stands tall with Wolf Berg on his shoulder with the emblem reminiscent of his axe beside him. Then the black scene receives two slashes to reveal the black scene to show the title "Fire Emblem: Decisions_

 **(Kataku chikatta yurenai omoi nara koko ni aru darou?)** _Falchion and Eternity stand in the ground in an X when suddenly, Eric and Chrom run through from each side and grab their respective weapons. With flame emitted from the blade, Eric swung a few times, a torrent of fire torching the scene_

 **(Shinnen aru nara surechigai mo** **mata hitsuzen darouka kotae wa izuko da)** _Chrom slashes the screen accompanied by powerful gusts of wind, and a battlefield of troops are blown away with an explosion, revealing the two kings back to back grinning at one another over their shoulder. A familiar background of royal blue is displayed behind Robin as he points forward, Frederick appears on screen with an axe in hand. Raven, armed with Uramasa and a smile, each of the two on Robin's left and right sides. A red background replaces the blue, with Walhart holding his Wolf Berg. Yen'fay, Excellus and Cervantes each appear at Walhart's side before Yen'fay slashes the scene_

 **(Iza, maichire sakura saite** **inochi no aru kagiri maire)** _A silver lance, a steel sword, and Uramasa lock with one another, the scene widens to show Frederick, Robin and Raven smiling at the sky, making a pact of sorts. Now, the Shepherds all stand in a group with Vaike pointing up at the screen, then the scene switches to a black background, with both Aversa and Validar standing parallel to each other while a pair of ominous red eyes glow on a darkened face_

 **(Aa,** **mou dare ni mo inai fuwari, kaze ga naida)** _Chrom stands beneath a veil of sakura trees, petals dancing along the wind in the glow of the moonlight. Sumia hugs the prince from behind, bringing a warm smile to his face as he places a hand on Sumia's. Meanwhile, Eric looks out at the crescent moon over a cliff. Cordelia looks at him with worry and sadness in her eyes with a hand on her chest._

 **(Hanate, hanate ikusa he inotte, inotte mirai he)** _A bolt of Thoron is launched from Robin's hand, Frederick attacks with his lance, then Sumia and Cordelia charge through the sky with their lances in hand. A familiar blue haired swordswoman stands with her hand on Chrom's sword, surrounded by 15 silhouettes before one of them jump out to cut the scene with a purple flash_

 **(Waratte, waratteruyouni douka, chikai no nakade chirasetekure)** _A young Chrom and Eric run side by side with smiles on their faces before the scene cuts to a dreary looking castle, the two now adult royals charge at Walhart with swords in hand. Chrom avoids a strike from Walhart as Eric jumps in the air and meets the Conqueror's axe, the force cracking the ground beneath them and causing it to explode_

 **(Sono kokoro, makoto ni musou)** _Falchion and Eternity fall from the skies and land in an X once more. A freeze frame of Eric and Chrom both running is displayed, Cordelia and Sumia appear next near their respective love interests, then Raven appears in the middle in front with a hand on his hip and a smile. Frederick stands on Chrom's side with hands behind his back, Robin, on Eric's side with a hand on his chin in thought. Finally, a large portrait style view of Walhart towering behind them all, ending the opening_

* * *

 **Narrator PoV**

The door shut behind the disheartened Pandorian as he exited the household, a somber mood permeating the air like a thick fog. The three who remained, as befuddled as they were, all expressed their own symptoms of grief, sorrow and despondence. Raven was left trying to piece together answers for the many questions that plagued his mind, to no such luck. Any answer he even considered gave birth to more unsolvable riddles that he failed to wrap his head around. Say'ri sat in her spot with a cold, unresponsive glare at nothing in particular, her eyes focused on the general direction of the floor. Her hands, laid flat against her lap, still trembled lightly as the softest of sobs escaped her. Cordelia had the same crestfallen look as the other two, even she was on the verge of crying.

She rubbed out a wrinkle in the hem of her shirt absently, pushing through many of the thoughts that ran through her head at the moment. She glanced over at the blade princess, not with a rage of jealousy or contempt like she once did. But one of sympathy, of warmth. Upon coming here, to the pegasus knight, Say'ri was… intolerable, to put it lightly. The mention of her name a few days prior invoked feelings of jealousy within her that she didn't want to feel or experience. She had already won his heart, no damned way was she going to fight for it after she'd already claimed it. All she could think of was her jealousy towards the other woman.

Now, it had been different. Seeing the woman before her, Cordelia saw not the woman who wanted to break apart a loving relationship between two for her own selfish ambition. But rather, she saw before her a woman who simply wanted her family whole. Say'ri had jumped her hurdles, travelled hundreds of kilometers overseas so that her child would want for nothing. She knew Eric would be there for his kid, more than anyone, even Say'ri herself. Which is where the problem presents itself.

Cordelia loved Eric, without a doubt in her mind, and he loved her just as much, she knew this. He would sooner run a blade through himself than to break her heart. He would never choose that route. However, despite his words before, she knew better than anyone else that his solution was a cover-up. The smallest inconsistencies to her were clear as day; it killed him inside to even suggest aborting his unborn child, but he had to convince himself it was the only solution, he would have gone mad trying to find an answer to such a dire question. His stubborn nature wouldn't allow him to leave without an answer. As least, not before now.

Her voice finally came back to her as she cleared her throat. "Perhaps I have a solution."

The other two fixed their gazes onto hers. "You do?"

"Yes," she replied. Her thumbs twiddled around one another as she spoke, but she still had a clear thought in mind. She was only hoping that it would be okay. With a slight shuffle, she angled her body a little to her left to face the Chon'sinese princess, her features softening down to a welcoming smile.

"May I help you?" the swordswoman mumbled timidly.

"Say'ri," Cordelia began. "I know we weren't on the best footing a few days ago, but despite your feelings toward me, I don't blame you. You've experienced far more pain of love than I have, I can tell you love him as much as I do, and now, you're only doing what you can as a mother, making sure your child grows up proper. I know every kid deserves to have both their parents, that's how I would want it."

Unsure as to where this conversation was going, the brunette simply nodded along, curiously hanging onto every word. "I don't know how you'll feel about this, but, um… why does he have to choose?"

Raven's eyes narrowed with a tilt of the head added in for good measure, matching Say'ri's similar confusion. "How do you mean?"

She breathed out what could be a cross between a sigh and a chuckle. "I mean that Eric's been killing his brain trying to come up with something under the impression that a choice has to be made between you and I; his love or his family."

Finally, the swordswoman's eyes widened in genuine surprise as she moved her head back a bit. "A-are you suggesting…"

"Yes, I am…" she coughed out meekly. "It's certainly not the ordinary, but… how much would you consider the possibility of sharing? I mean… we both love him, and he cares for us both as well… and this way, all of us win. He doesn't have to make that difficult decision, he and I will still be together, and you can still have your family."

"I am conflicted," Say'ri sighed. "Certainly, I never considered it. Yet I question: how do you suppose that Eric has those feelings? I doubt."

Cordelia exposed her hand as if to gesture. "Please, after that display, I could tell. Not many men would break down like that, let alone apologize."

This little quip elicited a small chorus of laughter between the two females, giggling together like they'd done something incredibly amusing. Raven, the bystander to this conversation, had watched with an eye of indifference, his mouth forming a straight line. His focus was honed more on his king at the moment. Remorseful, he had seen him before, but this was something different. He had been resigned, almost as if in repentance. But above all else, Raven had this nagging feeling in the back of his mind that he couldn't shake, no matter how hard he tried. Often, this happened to him only when a terrible event was about to take place.

The swordsman shook his head. 'No,' he thought. 'We're in peacetime. Ylisse is in no state of war. And yet…'

"Raven," Cordelia asked, drawing him out of his trance. "Is there any given law about the courting of more than one woman?"

He placed a hand to his chin in thought. "If I remember correctly, it's in an… awkward grey area. Normally, it is perfectly legal for two or more women to be romantically involved with the same man, given that the women in question both find said man worthy, and vice versa. I know a handful of high-ranking soldiers and nobility in Pandora do this. However…"

"However…?"

"I'm not sure if royalty is in the clear, not because of any legality, but by manner of example; I know not of any Pandorian royalty who has enacted this," Raven answered concisely. "The last Queen was close to finding out how it works, but ultimately only courted one man."

"Oh." Cordelia sank in her seat, delivering one of her trademark sighs.

"I believe it is still worth the gamble," Raven added, in hopes of bringing up the redhead's spirit.

"Ha, you seem to be in favour of this option as well," Say'ri poked.

"I don't see anything wrong with it, you two agreed on it," the swordsman replied. "What's more, it will finally bring milord back to his senses."

There it was again. Poking at him in the inner confines of his mind, the same feeling that told him something was up. It seemed to get worse the more he let it drag on, and all the more upsetting is that he didn't know whether or not Cordelia had picked up on it as well. He saw her brow knot ever so slightly whenever it wasn't her turn to speak ever since they got there. Knowledgeable of it or not, he didn't like it.

"Lady Cordelia?" Raven inquired. "Is something troubling you still?"

"Um, excuse me," Say'ri interrupted, jumping to her feet. Her face had gone pale, and her body appeared tense and unstable. "May you direct me to the restroom? I feel a sickness brewing."

"Up the stairs, first door on the left." As Say'ri stumbled her way up to the restroom, Raven looked back at the crimson haired knight, as if prompting her to answer his previously interrupted question. She saw this prompt, fortunately for him, and he received a look of concern and frustration from her. "I suppose you share the same feeling as well, don't you?"

"What feeling?" she asked.

"That feeling," he ambiguously remarked. "Something is amiss. A sense of foreboding perhaps."

Cordelia hadn't given an answer, her narrowing eyes gave Raven all the confirmation he needed. He gave a great sigh before making his way to her on the opposite side of the room, his hand still closed around the object his lord had given him just minutes ago. With only a few feet between himself and the redhead, he bowed down to a knee and presented her with the same ring she wore days ago, the gem sparkling in the flickering lamplight.

"Oh, wow," Cordelia quipped in the best surprised role she could. "Raven, this is sweet and all, and I'm flattered… but I think Olivia may have a thing or two to say to this."

He couldn't help but let out an exasperated, yet amused sigh. "It appears that milord has rubbed off on you indeed," Raven muttered. "No, Lady Cordelia, not from me. On milord's behalf."

"Yes, yes," she laughed, taking the ring from the swordsman and slipping it onto her finger. Turning her hand, she admired the garnet ring with a fond smile. "I don't know why I ever took it off… I missed it."

Raven nodded in agreement. "Aye, it is a beautiful piece of art and tradition. It has been the family heirloom since the early days of Pandora."

Cordelia shook her head, dismissing Raven's statement. "No, that's not why… its tradition and make is captivating, yes, but to me, it means much more. To me… it's a true symbol of Eric and I as a couple. Our eternal love."

Once more, Raven nodded in agreement, although his smile disappeared in an instant once he felt a jolt run through his body. The alarming thing is, this same thing happened to Cordelia, nearly making her jump out of her seat. Slowly, Raven rose to standing position, looking out into through the window into the cloudy night sky. The moon, hanging passively in the sky greeted the affable swordsman with its soothing glow of dim white light punching through the cloud layer. But to him, all it seemed to be was a foreboding presence of something potentially dire.

Then, as if it were nothing more than a mere mirage, Raven's eyes picked up on something. It was minute, small, completely unremarkable to the untrained eye. For him, however, it was a confirmation that his pensive actions had been accurate.

"Did you feel it, Lady Cordelia?" he asked rhetorically, knowing that her answer was in fact a yes. "Something is wrong. Whatever it is, I-"

Suddenly, that same little detail he noticed from earlier reenacted itself, dashing across the surface of the moon's reflection, but on top of it, he felt a strong collective wave wash over him, his sense of danger increasing tenfold. They all moved in synchronization, like a collective force of men, towards the innermost direction of the capital. Raven's thoughts went wild, causing him to mutter curses and random numbers until something happened that made Raven's blood run cold.

At the hind of this large group, there was a presence so heavy, its existence shook the air around it, the pressure was absolutely overwhelming. It even managed to overtake the full collective of the the group that preceded it several times over, but what shocked him the most was that this group weren't going specifically to the capital palace. If anything, and it was only a hunch, it seemed like they were heading for…

"Lady Cordelia," Raven demanded, panic-stricken. "Get your armour on, grab your spear, and follow me. Quickly! I fear milord may be in danger."

"Oh gods," she gasped, rapidly searching for her plate. "Wait, what about Say'ri?"

"She isn't in the condition to aid us, leave her be," he called. Without little to no time to spare, he grabbed Uramasa from the kitchen beside the counter where the sink was located, and after a quick lace-up of her armour, Cordelia and Raven were both ready to head out.

"Princess Say'ri," Raven called. "Lady Cordelia and I are heading out for a little while. Do you need anything?"

He paused for an answer only to hear a strained and disgusted groan. "I'll take that as a yes. We won't be long."

* * *

 **Eric PoV**

I took a deep breath, drawing in the chilled fresh air of the winter night. The small gales bristling against my skin, nipping at me and causing the hairs to stand on end. Just an observation on my part, not particularly noteworthy, but Ylisstol was in a lovely position geographically where they experienced much less snowfall than one would expect in the winter season. Their winters were still cold, yes, though they were still bearable. Sometimes they would have a white holiday, sometimes not, it really depended on how fickle Mother Nature wanted to be.

I swung my pack by the string absently, strolling along to wherever the nearest bar was, mentally writing a farewell card to my liver, but Naga knows I need it now more than ever. Granted, alcohol got me into the mess I'm swamped by in the first place, but damn it if it didn't do its job. I needed to forget about Cordelia. About Say'ri, about Raven.

About everything.

A light patter of liquid made contact with my skin as I strolled down my path, and before long, the light drops escalated into a cold drizzle.

"Hmm. Freezing rain," I mumbled, looking up into the night sky. "I suppose in a way, it's sort of refreshing. Don't often see it these days."

I rose my true hand up into the sky, reaching out to some unknown or unseen object beyond the clouds, and watched the beads of water roll down my outstretched limb. "Water, the essence to which we owe our lives to, it works wonders. It can put out fires, used to cook food, and wash a number of different things."

I brought my hand down, inspecting the droplets as they lay as tiny bubbles on my palm. "If only it could wash away sins."

"I believe there is one way to cleanse sins, though it does not involve water."

I whipped my head around instantly to face the person the voice belonged to, this oddly deep voice. "Who goes there?" I called. The veil of night made it hard to track down the person, and the lack of street lighting in this area did not help anything. Fortunately, a stray beam of moonlight parted the clouds above, giving me a small bit of light, but enough, and I finally met eyes with my counterpart.

The man was tall and broad, his features were a little softer and rounder than his voice would lead one to believe. His jet-black hair, meticulously done up in a single braid, ran down his right shoulder, right over a familiarly shaped insignia I couldn't quite place in this darkness. He wore a dark maroon vest if I had to guess, and underneath it, a black shirt which was protected by a steel chestplate and a pair of shining silver gauntlets coming to midway up his forearms. He also wore loose-fitting pantaloons, no doubt for ease of movement in combat. But the most noticeable element of his appearance was the spear on his back. It was the one thing on his person that stood out in colour, the shaft of the weapon painted bright red all the way to the blade, which instead of the standard issue leaf tip, was a three-bladed cross.

He stomped his mighty armoured boot. "Greetings to you, milord. My name is Luar Nagrion. And you… are Lord Eric of Pandora."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "So… you know who I am, hm? Can I help you?"

"Me?" he asked coyly. "No. I don't suppose I need help, now do I…?"

A low chuckle escaped him before the dimly lit scene was approached by more men in darker, more common clothing. All of whom were armed, and some of them seemed like they were dying to get their orders. "But maybe I can help you."

I narrowed my eyes in frustration, grinding my teeth. Now I damn well know what's going on. This is an assassination. They've come for my blood, though I am left scratching my head about this, I don't know a single person out of the horde. Each of these men, on their own or in a group is small fry, even without my sword. But that one man, the one with the spear, something felt off to me. Like going deep into a jungle. One can always feel the coming danger, but the danger itself is unknown. "Look, uh… Luar. I appreciate the effort, really, but I'm not in the best mood right now, so if you could leave me be, that would be-"

"Go." At that call, the thunderous boom of boots stomping towards me filled my ears, much to my ire. Reluctantly, I tossed my pack to the side and took a fighting stance. This was just not my night.

The first man darted at me with a sword, attacking with a thrust of surprising speed. Of course, not enough to actually hit me, but enough to be acknowledged. With a simple turning step, I evaded the jab, countering with a punch to his open back that sent him barrelling to the ground. Next followed a man with axes, looking at me with a wild grin. The dull whipping in the air told me he threw one of his weapons, alerting me to block it with my metal arm. The hunk of metal bounced off of my arm and clattered to the ground nearby. It was a lousy offense but a decent tactic; it distracted me long enough to allow him to close the distance between him and I. Once he used the other axe in close quarters, I dodged, took his arm in a two on one armbar, and put pressure into his shoulder, taking him down into the ground face-first. Briefly, my ears twitched at the straining of bowstrings, prompting me to pull the axeman off of the ground, making good use of him as a meat shield to defend me from the oncoming arrows.

This was such an exasperating task, having to deal with man after man, wave after wave of attacks, when all I wanted was to take a stroll, get wasted, maybe blow up a mountain or two. You know, just some peace and quiet. Though it was painfully obvious that it wouldn't be the case. With every attack coming my way, it was either dodge-dislocate/disarm-knockout-repeat, or when it really started to get to me, I took up some of their own weapons and cut them open with them to mix it up. I think I may have even smashed quite a few skulls in with my fists alone, I lost count after the thirteenth one. Once their number dwindled to their last, the mysterious man with a spear finally took point, the tip of his spear making contact with my metal arm.

"Very good," he chuckled, grinding his spear against my arm even harder. "Wonderful reactions. Let's see if you can keep up that pace!"

With a strong growl of effort, I pushed the spear off of my arm, gaining a little bit of distance to catch my breath. And by extension, think of something fast. Channelling power through my limbs, I get ready to challenge him, the buzzing of raw magic coursing through me, enveloping my limbs in a radiant glow that pierced through the darkness. His spear came at me with a vengeance, however it never made its mark as I evaded the oncoming strike to close in on the man behind it. As if on instinct, Luar swings his weapon to try and intercept me at the very least, which doesn't work out too well for him. In the crook of my right arm, I catch the weapon, each man struggling for dominance over it.

"Oh dear, it seems you're missing that left arm of yours," Luar stated. "How about I give you a matching right?"

It didn't even occur to me what he meant until I felt a sharp tug on his end, forcing me to let go of it and backflip away. For someone who, underneath the eyes of many seems to be normal, he's pretty damned strong physically, but his movements are somewhat lacking in speed. That said, I still have to be cautious with him.

I caught myself in the middle of thought just in time to close my hands over the broadside of his spearhead, holding the metal spear over my head. His eyes were hungry, waiting to see my blood spilled across the street like a gory, grotesque painting. Not today, I roared, slamming the blade to the side with all the strength I could muster. His spear now out of the picture, he covered for it quickly with an incoming boot. Big mistake on his part. Now leaving himself wide open, I grab him by his outstretched limb and twirl around once before slamming him into the ground. His form left an indent in the earth as his form rebounded back up to about chest level, giving me the opportunity to land a heavy punch straight into his body and send him tumbling backwards a few feet.

I smiled with a little bit of pride and enjoyment, cracking my knuckles. At least he lasted longer than the rest did.

I began closing in on him, the man named Luar now disarmed shaking in terror with every step towards him. I would be lying if I said his whimpering and trembling wasn't bringing some twisted form of joy to me, or at least it put my mind to focus on something more than what I had been plagued with earlier.

Yet, as I got close to him, I started to notice his terror growing. Not from me. It was from something else. Someone else.

"B-Boss!" Luar croaked. "There's no need to get involved, I was going to step back in!"

"I've been stuck on that blasted boat for nearly four weeks, and on the road for another two," another voice growled out. "I refuse to sit around and do nothing."

This voice was more stern and held a heavy amount of authority behind it. Cold and unforgiving, coupled with his slow rhythm of bootsteps and his stature, I could see why Luar was so afraid. The man, while not necessarily the tallest-shorter than Raven was by an inch or two-was broad and sturdy-looking, his bald head, bearded face, and dark blue eyes tying his intimidation motif all together. He wore pantaloons of navy blue tucked into armoured boots, and his upper half donned a shirt of the same colour, with a dark grey sleeveless coat over it. What stood out on him the most, however, were a pair of gauntlets he wore. They were enlarged, almost unnatural on his hands. Even his posture commanded authority, but I knew that whoever he was, he didn't come to play, he meant business.

"A-a-apologies, Boss!" Luar sputtered out. "I tried the best I could against him, and-"

"Enough," the bald man bellowed. "Stop your jabbering. I'll figure out your punishment later. Besides, now I think I prefer this. I finally get to see the face of the king."

"So you knows me too, it seems," I called. "Who are you? And what do you want?"

"I see, you're such a man who gets straight to the point," he drawled. "As for the 'what', I'm simply here to… tie up some loose ends. And as for the 'who'... my name is Shuyo."

* * *

 **Narrator PoV**

"Raven, how are you not cold at all?" Cordelia sneezed, being careful to sneeze in the other direction away from him.

"B-believe me, I fare no better than y-y-you." He shivered a measly bit, removing a handkerchief from his pocket. "I could have fooled you, however."

The two were flying up above in the night sky, Cordelia making sure to hold on to the swordsman from behind with an iron grip. His hand raised above his head, and within it, the piece of cloth he pulled out. Giving her thanks, Cordelia carefully took the offering with one arm, the other coiling around Raven's shoulders for support as she wiped her face clean, placing the item in the crook of her chestplate afterwards for safekeeping. They had been searching for the Pandorian royal for fifteen minutes from the sky above, and they had yet to see hide or hair of him. He had been gone for no more than an hour since, he couldn't have gotten that far. If Raven was able to find him within the bounds of the entire world, surely a simple city would not best him.

Unfortunately, this time he had no leads to go by. Their first trip was to the castle itself, as far as the two knew, perhaps Chrom knew where he was, or at least would've heard from him. That hope was quickly extinguished once the prince denied that he had even seen him throughout the day period. The second place they went was the closest bar to his house, where Raven knew his lord frequented, if nothing more than to exchange a few words with his ginger headed sugar-addicted friend. Also a drawn blank, so to speak; the thief also denied seeing him throughout the day. This frustrated Raven immensely, forcing him to try and rely on his third option: scanning the area and searching for his signature, which would normally be the easiest… but Raven picked up nothing. He chalked it up to the royal warrior purposely hiding his signature, so that he wouldn't be found.

What was more alarming, however, was that extremely large power he felt before he left, and it continued moving forward. Its obnoxious size made hard to detect smaller signatures, drowning out every other power around it. The sheer weight, its density, Raven could feel it gripping him. He even dared say that it rivalled his own. Something like that was certainly something Eric had to be wary of.

"Wait, Raven," Cordelia called over the wind. "You said that there was a large power, right?"

He nodded without a word. "Call it intuition, but I want you to follow it, it may lead us to Eric."

Raven shook his head. "Lady Cordelia, that would be placing you in immense danger, I hope you realize that."

"What difference does it make?" she barked back. "The more time wasted here, the more you put him in danger. Follow it."

"Of course." Raven bit his cheek, drawing a tiny bit of blood. With a mighty push, he changed his trajectory, heading straight for that large power. He and his current passenger rushed closer and closer to the scene, the wind in their ears drowning out all.

If luck were on his side, Eric would not be there when he arrived.

* * *

"Shuyo, hm? I take it you're not as simple to take down as the rest of them." The royal tossed his head side to side, feeling a pair of cracks in his neck reverberate through his spinal column. Warily, he eyed his opponent on the notion that anything can spring at any moment, provoking the Pandorian to raise his guard up, taking his stance again. Muscles tensed and relaxed with every breath, aching in wait for combat, begging for the first punch to be thrown and let the battle commence. He was ready.

The bald man, now named Shuyo, chuckled heartily-nay, hostile was more like it, though in a more subtle manner. "I must say, I am impressed, I expect no less from the king of Pandora. Well, technically, prince. I don't suppose you were officially coronated."

"I will admit," Eric chuckled weakly. "Prince does have a certain charm to it, but legalities don't matter, chrome dome. I'm not sure why you're here, unless you're here to pick up some more shoe polish for your top, maybe some hats even? Or-"

"Okay, shut up," Shuyo barked. "I know you have a large bag of exceptionally witty retorts in store for me. But it matters not how sharp your tongue is. But rather your blade, so to speak."

He looked past the blue blood to see blood spilled everywhere and bodies laid all across the path they were on. "Back to what I was saying before I went on a tangent… I'm rather impressed that you managed to defeat a hundred of my good men without so much a sweat. Or should I say, hm… your men."

Eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. "M-my men…?"

The royal fighter looked back behind him at the bodies he had laid waste to only a moment ago for a brief second. "You mean to tell me… that-"

The bald man cracked a menacing grin. "Aye, strong and sharp. If only your family wasn't so stubborn and arrogant, you'd make for a perfect leader."

While trying to process this information, Eric heard the click of footsteps on the stone road, a pair of them to be specific. Two figures were running towards the two men, both were calling out to him in a mess of pants and huffs.

"Cordelia…" he whispered breathlessly. "Raven…"

Both were making a mad dash for the Pandorian royalty, however the dash was suddenly halted once Raven truly realized who else they were in the presence of. This was the one time in his life Raven truly felt pure disgust and ire for a single person; the time where one experiences the uncanny taste of bile on their tongue and in their throat. Raising his arm out to prevent Cordelia from advancing forward, he growled at the bald man, receiving a crooked grin from him in response.

"Raven Gallo," he lulled. "Unbelievable. Truly, a match made by fate itself. I came looking for a meal, and I am presented with a banquet."

"You must be Shuyo," Raven ground out in an uncharacteristically rugged tone. "Truth be told, I've heard much about you, but this is the first time I've ever seen you in person."

Shuyo let out a bark. "Amusing you say so, because I've seen you more times than I care to remember. Now then, you and your girlfriend stand aside…" He turned back to face Eric. "...the big boys need to talk."

"Yet you stand to be the most vertically challenged," Raven cleverly retorted. "This woman is not my girlfriend. In fact, she is Lord Pandora's companion."

Shuyo's mouth formed an "o" in realization. "Ah, so she is his woman, I see."

Eric bit down on his tongue, forcing back a stare at his beloved redheaded knight. "I-It's complicated."

"What do you want, Shuyo?" Raven spat. "I've much a doubt you've come for the festivities this time of year."

Another low chuckle rippled through the night air. "What have I come for? Why, I've come to see milord in wellness… and to challenge him in a duel."

"A duel?"

"Yes," he answered. "You see, I'm in a rather stagnant point in my life where, honestly, it's been rough trying to find someone to give me the challenge I wish. Even in a land full of warriors, those who come to push the bar are far between and few. Then suddenly, I'd heard of the Black Beast who had killed the mighty Gangrel of Plegia, and I knew I had found my potential equal."

"So you say," Raven grumbled. "Then if it is a challenge you are aiming for…" he began as he unsheathed Uramasa slowly and murderously. "...you've come to the right place."

"Raven, stay out of this."

The swordsman's composure dropped a few notches, expressing his surprise at his lord's words mid-release of his sword. "What? But milord, this man is dangerous! His intentions are not what he says!"

"I'm aware of what he wishes to do, that's not what is concerning me," Eric replied sternly. "I couldn't care less about what he says versus its meaning, but if he wants a good fight, I'll give him one. Besides, I think it's high time these bones and joints got some exercise."

"Glad you feel the same way, Lord Pandora," Shuyo smiled. "But just so we're clear… I don't pull back punches."

A simple grunt left the king's mouth as he launched himself towards the shorter man, his form shining with wild crimson light. Eric threw the first punch and kick, both of which were avoided entirely by the bald headed tyrant. Still, this did not stop Eric from continuing his relentless assault, as he made sure to chain each one of his attacks from one to the next with perfect fluidity. Punch with a haymaker, then when he dodged to the side, follow with a kick in momentum. If he jumped, follow through with another hit. Flip away if he moved with offense of his own. Punch, kick, punch, flip, kick, block, attack again. Each of his attacks were lightning fast, but it appeared that Shuyo was always just one step ahead each and every time.

"You're fast, I'll give you that," the bald man huffed dully. Another punch was thrown his way, only for him to catch it in his palm. "But you can't hit me."

"Shut up!" Eric growled, kicking Shuyo's legs from underneath him. Seeing his opponent fall, the royal followed up with a powerful ground punch that shattered all of the stone around the area of impact, but just missed his target barely as he-and the two bystanders-jumped out of the way.

"Excellent comeback. I would have expected better repartee from the Prince of War."

"You want a retort? Well, here's my answer." The taller man roared out with a fiery spirit as his hair and aura went to gold and his eyes went to red. Like always, his hair stood on end pointing skyward and the aura surrounding him rippled with a coarse wisping sound.

"I was not aware you could change your hair colour at will." Shuyo redoubled his stance, donning the same grin. "An interesting tactic."

Half-lidded eyes stared directly at their target, wordless and silent as he took his stance, crouching low with arms close to his body. "Oh? Does you going blonde make you lose your tongue, boy?"

"No." In the literal blink of an eye, Shuyo felt the presence of his opponent elsewhere. "It makes me someone not to mess with!"

Finally, a direct hit. The backhand from Eric sen the bald man barrelling down a few blocks, crashing through a few buildings along the way. The Pandorian, amongst his companions, winced at the damaged caused by that simple blow. Certainly in the dead of night like this, someone had to have been awoken from this ruckus. One could only hope Chrom would let this one slide if even just a little bit, else it would be a considerable dent in his next pay.

"Neat trick." On instinct, Eric thoughtlessly moved out of the way and backed off a few steps, seeing Shuyo standing where he once was. The shorter man, with a stream of blood going down his head from a humble laceration, stared at the warrior opposite from him with a nigh malicious grin as he rose his gauntlets in a fearsome manner. Out of the wrist of the right one shot out a rather thick spike of steel; a hidden blade he planned to use to carve up any who stood in his way.

"I've seen all I need, I've wasted enough of my time here. It's time to finish this." Waving his arms about before adopting a very cryptic stance, he took a deep breath in before muttering one bone-chilling word. "Die."

Tensing the muscles in his leg, Shuyo launched himself at Eric in one powerful step, lunging out one powerful attack with his fist spike. The king dodged in the nick of time, his clothing being the one torn by the attack. Quick on his feet, Eric enacted a counterattack that Shuyo just wasn't ready for, ending in a breakneck upwards kick that sent him up into the air, only to send him careening back to earth again with an axe handle blow. Once the two righted themselves on the ground, the two devolved into a tit-for-tat exchange, each man matching the other blow for blow as they exchanged several different advances too swift for the average human eye to follow.

Now, it was Eric's turn to land the finishing move. A hawk zeroing in on its prey, the Prince of War had his fist lit with the power of lightning ready to crush the bald man, intent on bringing it down on his smaller form. There were many different responses Eric had in mind that Shuyo could have done to make his offense fail. What he didn't intend on, however, was for him to completely halt it with nothing but his unarmed hand.

The bald man gave a half-lidded stare with a smile only ever seen on the most dangerous of psychopaths. "I've grown tired of you, boy. Goodbye."

A single swipe. From one end to another, a single swipe from his blade did so much damage. Like a disgusting, horrifying balloon, a torrent of blood burst from the wound inflicted, a little bit of that blood following the steel that caused it. No longer able to support him, Eric's legs collapsed beneath him, only one knee was able to keep him somewhat upright. He hadn't a single response to such an attack, all he could do was let out a pained cough, blood gurgling its way out of his mouth as he fell to the ground and laid there on his stomach, or what was left of it.

"Well now," Shuyo began monotonously. "I thought I succeeded in cutting you straight in half. Looks like I didn't strike deep enough. Oh well."

"Hm?" Up above came a growl of unbridled rage, focused on beheading the evil bald man. Silently, he jumped out of the way and looked up to meet eyes with the enraged charge of the Pandorian royal family.

"You've had your battle with Lord Pandora." Raven's voice dropped to such a register none would think possible for someone with such a sweet and supple voice. "Now it's my turn. But unlike my lord, I will kill you without hesitation. Perhaps even with a sadist's pleasure."

Despite the death threat being sent his way, Shuyo seemed completely uninterested in the words of the swordsman. "Lovely, but I have places to go and people to see. You would be better off trying to help him rather than pursue me. Not that it would matter. I've severed everything in his gut, only a measly bit of muscle and his own spinal column is left keeping him in one piece."

Shuyo's face now became manic. "So then, Gallo… what is your choice? The present," he gestured to the fallen fighter. "Or the future? I will leave you to decide. Luar, away we go."

And with that one word, he and his companion vanished into the night, never to be seen again. Raven clenched his fist in fury and frustration, he'd failed once again in keeping his king safe; he stood there and watched tentatively as the Pandorian king was rend of his own guts. A bite to his tongue would serve as his punishment for now, he sufficed, as Cordelia's voice seemed to be calling out to him. "Raven!"

Her eyes were overflowing. "He's still alive, but his pulse is almost gone, do something!"

"Right," he said solemnly. "Hold on to me. We have no time, we have to teleport to the castle. Lady Lissa is the only one who can help him right now."

As the two warped to the castle, they ran to the Exalt and his family, each of whom were absolutely mortified by the state Eric was in, and in a short while, Cordelia, Lissa, Sumia, and a team of others were in a brightly lit room trying to keep the king alive. An entire group of guards had to keep the loyal knight of Pandora from trying to wrest his way into the room where his lord had been undergoing surgery. A soft, muffled cry escaped his mouth briefly, he really didn't think much of his lord's chances after a wound such as that. But he had to keep hope, he surmised, or at least that's what Eric would have told him. Well, more so along the lines of a fat lady singing, but the message was all the same.

One thing that Raven remembered back there was Shuyo's rather particular last choice of words. Over and over, they repeated in his head. 'The present… or the future…?' He asked himself the meaning of that question countless times over as he saw the medical team running around gathering and preparing the things needed as they went along with the surgery.

Try as he might, however, Raven could not come up with an answer.

* * *

 **FD: Wow. I'm starting to think my darker side is coming out now.**

 **Lancer/Tychon: … *completely frozen in shock***

 **FD: A second chapter, written only two days after the last. A shocker, I know, the biggest of the chapter. I get bored over the break, and my sleep schedule is out of whack, so I pulled all-nighters just out of sheer boredom.**

 **So now we see the capabilities of the mystery man known as Shuyo, if only but a fraction of it. Seeing how easily he made short work of our protagonist, you can see why the four Generals have to be wary when it comes to facing off against him. This will lead us down the rabbit hole of an extremely important turn of the plot. But anyway… Fell Dragonite out.**


	11. Plan In Motion

**FD: Good day, one and all, Happy New Year, we are back with yet another chapter! Yay!**

 **Tychon: Draco-senpai… you should really be doing your homework…**

 **FD: Ugh, but I tried. I always end up just staring at the page for an hour, then I get frustrated and I go to writing again.**

 **Tychon: Do your homework. I'll cover us.**

 **FD: *sigh* ...okay, fine.**

 **Tychon: Meanwhile, we should probably get to setting up an upload schedule. Perhaps bi-weekly, once every two weeks on Saturdays? Sounds good. But before any of that… here we go, I suppose…**

 **As always, we own nothing.**

* * *

 **Music: Sen Ikusa by Wagakki Band**

 **(Instrumental)** _The Brand of Pandora falls down while spinning, landing on a familiar forehead. The perspective shifts back slightly to show Eric looking up ahead, while Chrom's side profile is shown facing the other direction. Their respective brands plaster the background as Chrom stands with a hand on his hip and Eric stands with arms crossed. Then Sumia crouches on one knee in front of Cordelia, an emblem of upward curving wings beside them. Next, Frederick, Raven, and Robin, each with their respective weapons of an axe, sword, and tome in hand, accompanied by a scythe and dragon emblem. Next, Walhart stands tall with Wolf Berg on his shoulder with the emblem reminiscent of his axe beside him. Then the black scene receives two slashes to reveal the black scene to show the title "Fire Emblem: Decisions_

 **(Kataku chikatta yurenai omoi nara koko ni aru darou?)** _Falchion and Eternity stand in the ground in an X before Eric and Chrom run through from each side and grab their respective weapons. With flame emitted from the blade, Eric swung a few times, a torrent of fire torching the scene_

 **(Shinnen aru nara surechigai mo mata hitsuzen darouka kotae wa izuko da)** _Chrom slashes the screen accompanied by powerful gusts of wind, and a battlefield of troops are blown away with an explosion, revealing the two kings back to back grinning at one another over their shoulder. A familiar background of royal blue is displayed behind Robin as he points forward, Frederick appears on screen with an axe in hand. Raven, armed with Uramasa and a smile, each of the two on Robin's left and right sides. A red background replaces the blue, with Walhart holding his Wolf Berg. Yen'fay, Excellus and Cervantes each appear at Walhart's side before Yen'fay slashes the scene_

 **(Iza, maichire sakura saite inochi no aru kagiri maire)** _A silver lance, a steel sword, and Uramasa lock with one another, the scene widens to show Frederick, Robin and Raven smiling at the sky, making a pact of sorts. Now, the Shepherds all stand in a group with Vaike pointing up at the screen, then the scene switches to a black background, with both Aversa and Validar standing parallel to each other while a pair of ominous red eyes glow on a darkened face_

 **(Aa, mou dare ni mo inai fuwari, kaze ga naida)** _Chrom stands beneath a veil of sakura trees, petals dancing along the wind in the glow of the moonlight. Sumia hugs the prince from behind, bringing a warm smile to his face as he places a hand on Sumia's. Meanwhile, Eric looks out at the crescent moon over a cliff. Cordelia looks at him with worry and sadness in her eyes with a hand on her chest._

 **(Hanate, hanate ikusa he inotte, inotte mirai he)** _A bolt of Thoron is launched from Robin's hand, Frederick attacks with his lance, then Sumia and Cordelia charge through the sky with their lances in hand. A familiar blue haired swordswoman stands with her hand on Chrom's sword, surrounded by 15 silhouettes before one of them jump out to cut the scene with a purple flash_

 **(Waratte, waratteruyouni douka, chikai no nakade chirasetekure)** _A young Chrom and Eric run side by side with smiles on their faces before the scene cuts to a dreary looking castle, the two now adult royals charge at Walhart with swords in hand. Chrom avoids a strike from Walhart as Eric jumps in the air and meets the Conqueror's axe, the force cracking the ground beneath them and causing it to explode_

 **(Sono kokoro, makoto ni musou)** _Falchion and Eternity fall from the skies and land in an X once more. A freeze frame of Eric and Chrom both running is displayed, Cordelia and Sumia appear next near their respective love interests, then Raven appears in the middle in front with a hand on his hip and a smile. Frederick stands on Chrom's side with hands behind his back, Robin, on Eric's side with a hand on his chin in thought. Finally, a large portrait style view of Walhart towering behind them all, ending the opening_

* * *

 **Narrator PoV**

"Come on, pick up your feet," a phlegmatic voice drawled. "We haven't got all night."

"Oh, shut up," another voice huffed, this one slightly softer than the last. "Would you like to drag a body bag? I would think not, considering that I'm one you delegated that to!"

The first man tugged a hood over his spiky black hair. "Details, details."

The taller man hefted the large bag onto his shoulders, wearing it like a backpack. He shook his dirty blonde hair free of the frigid raindrops that descended from the sky before retreating beneath his cowl, making sure that neither him, nor his precious cargo would get wet as the two men walked on their somewhat merry way. A strained growl left him as he tugged on a loose strap of the bag, fixing it onto his own frame. Why did he always get the short end of the stick with these jobs?

"Onyx," the blonde inquired. "Just a thought that occurred."

"What is it?"

"You break into some random house-"

"Yes."

"Without even letting me help you."

"Uh huh."

"Then you come out of the house with a large bag in your hands and you simply push it into my hands."

Onyx sighed with a hand over his face. "You were able to recall all of that, so then what is the question here?"

Hazel eyes hardened on the back of the mercenary clad in black. "The question is why and what am I carrying?"

"The why is because you're the brawn, Mikalus. I'm the brains," Onyx replied, receiving a critical glare from the orchid-clad mercenary, now named Mikalus. "And the what is confidential, never mind it. We still get paid either way."

"First off, I've told you countless times, I'd prefer it if you called me Michael. Or hell, even Mike." He shuffled around in his clothes, trying to make himself more comfortable with the extra weight. "And second, while I'd be remiss to pass up any opportunity for some good coin… even I have my standards."

"Oh really?" Onyx quipped. "Says the guy who hit on a guy last time we hit up a pub?"

The taller man huffed in indignation. "I've told you already, I thought it was a female. At least, he looked like one from behind."

A cough left the blonde's mouth before he dropped the bag he had on his back. "But that's besides the point."

"Hm?" Onyx turned his head and saw his taller friend laying the sack on the ground, looking to open it up and peruse its contents. "What are you doing?!"

Onyx's vague question received no response. Once his eyes laid on what was inside the bag, Michael's breathing hitched, his hazel eyes widening to the size of dinner plates. He could hear, if only slightly, the irritated calls of his friend coming out as little more than white noise. His eyes laid on such a vision of beauty, her pale skin glistening in the little moonlight that shone down through the cloud cover above. Despite her eyes being closed, and her body laid still, the rise and fall of her chest gave Michael some level of relief. At least he wouldn't be dragging a corpse around.

"Onyx…" Michael called out, his eyes not once leaving her face. "Who exactly is this?"

"It's a woman. She's from Chon'sin, by the looks of it." He scratched his head with a slight yawn before he raised a brow in minor confusion. "Eh?"

"What is it?"

A hand moved to the shorter man's chin in thought. "Come to think of it, she looks… rather familiar. Reminds me of the one time we were in Valm working… for… oh, crap."

Michael needed no more explanation to come to an answer. The trailed-off statement was enough for him to put two and two together as his eyes widened, many different feelings coursing behind them. Rage. Fear. Frustration. At least that was how he would justify grabbing his partner by the collar with a snarl on his face, barely keeping himself from slugging the smaller man. "You dumbass!" he cried.

Onyx retorted with a weak laugh. "Mike, look, I know this looks pretty bad, but-"

"Pretty bad?!" Michael interrupted him. "Pretty bad is when you accidentally burn your kitchen down! Pretty bad is when get tricked by a trap at the pub!"

"Something you seem to have experience with," Onyx quipped, to which Michael responded by shucking the joking merc to the ground.

"This here is an understatement! This is grounds for execution, at best!" he yelled.

"Quiet down!" Onyx barked, silencing the now hysterical blonde. "I dunno to what means this is for, but these were the boss's orders! So rather than complain about it, just do your damn job! Like I said, we still get paid either way."

He shook his head. "No gold is worth this."

"No, but I'm sure your head is," replied Onyx. "Or would you be in favour of the boss popping your head off and using it as a soccer ball? Or better yet, using your dried, fleshless skull as a prop in those plays he loves to do?"

Michael had to consider that. He didn't want to hold this sweet, innocent… politically powerful young woman captive like he was currently, but he knew the boss well. His boss would carve him like an overgrown turkey if he failed something this important. It left little wonder as to why he was sent, he was the best in his work. Though he much rather preferred cutting enemies down by the barrelful than to kidnap helpless victims, he had to take pride that a task as delicate as this was given to him. Silently, he mulled over his morality, glancing between the captive and his partner before he closed the sack once more, putting it on his body once again.

He spat out a mass of fluid as he passed by the dark-haired mercenary. "Who has no standards now?"

"That would still be you." Onyx raised his arms until his hands laced behind his head. "Now, let's get going. We have to meet with the rest down in Southtown three days from now."

* * *

 **Eric PoV**

Waking up to a hospital bed was nothing new to me at this point. In fact, if I thought hard about it, until the war ended, there hadn't been much a time where I woke up in an actual bed. Not to mention, the dull, throbbing, familiar pain of lacerations and cuts that rest on my frame, earned through the toils of war and combat, it only served to add to the sensation of familiarity. In a way, it was almost a welcoming feeling. A twisted sense of sentimentality, if you will. What was unique, however, were the two figures hovering over the bed I laid on, one was black and one was red. One had a solemn look of sadness, yet relief on his face, while the other was crying her eyes out, clutching the sheets of my medical bed in gratitude, taking solace in the fact that I was now conscious.

"Hey, Cherry," I managed to cough out, a small bark of a laugh trailing the end of my greeting to her. Her violet eyes looked back at me, glistening with the tears she had cried from who knows how long until now. In lieu of a verbal response, she pounced at me, enveloped me in a tight hug and bombarded me with kisses like it was the last time she was ever going to see me. Her hold was warm and strong, not to mention she was very affectionate, which I loved. Yet her breastplate was crushing my chest and her hold threatened to crush bones which was not so great.

"I thought I almost lost you again…" she weeped, her grip loosening not one bit.

"Uh, Lady Cordelia?" Raven cut in, but ultimately was ignored.

"Please stop doing reckless stuff like that, I don't want to lose you…" she cried. "I've already come close twice before…"

"Lady Cordelia!" Raven called, finally getting the redhead's attention. And subsequently, getting her grip to loosen. I gasp out hoarsely, drawing in the precious life-sustaining element we come to know as oxygen.

"You were coming close a fourth time just then," I croaked, trying to bring myself to a still and even breath. With a fatigued groan, I rubbed my eyes with heavy hands. "Gods… Raven, how long was I out?"

"Surprisingly, milord…" Raven began with a conceding shrug. "You were only unconscious for a day or two, no longer. Either way, it's daytime now."

"Is that right?" I brought myself up to seat position, wincing sharply at the jolt running through my core. Specifically, the lower half of my torso, but within those few seconds of recognition, the sensation subsided quickly. "I didn't think I'd wake up in so much pain."

"Be lucky you woke up at all." Raven paced across the room. "Your wounds were grievous. Your organs and renal vessels were all severed, and even with the aid of a dozen of the greatest medics the halidom has, you were losing blood very quickly, vitals were failing. Honestly, even I was surprised you lived to see another day."

His hair flew as he turned to look at me. "You were supposed to die. And you would have, if not for a strange, ominous force."

My body jumped up at that statement. "Ominous force?"

"It was odd," Raven replied with a tilted head. "Lady Cordelia and I saw it, the purple glow… it was magic like I'd never seen. After being declared dead, it appeared. Not much longer afterwards, it began mending the wound… and your blood pressure was rising back to normal once more. It was certainly a miracle."

Miracle my ass, I thought. If his description was accurate, nothing that he just told me was a miracle. Even a miracle wouldn't have been enough to save me from being cut in half and losing over half my blood. No, this was something else and I knew exactly what it was.

It was that demon.

The same demon that I encountered when I faced off against Gangrel had to be responsible for this. From that point forward, it has always lingered in the depths of my mind, body and soul ever since. I'd be willing to wager whatever wealth I had to say that it had been twice now it kept me alive. I'm sure Raven knew exactly what it was that saved me from the first time it happened. But I don't think he nor Cordelia knew that I knew.

"Haha, perhaps it was an act of the gods above indeed!" Something was off about the tone of his voice. It was very convincing, no doubt, but it was not convincing enough to assuage my suspicions. Then, as if it were nothing but a mere flicker, I saw the slightest twitch in Raven's eyebrow at the end of that sentence, bringing my face down to a narrow-eyed frown. So it was true, he had no clue of my awareness. He figured that I would have no recollection of any events regarding this so-called miracle, and now, he made it his utmost priority to try and persuade me from thinking anything was afoot.

I bit my cheek, pushing aside what little thoughts were left in my mind and fixing my frown into a forced grin. "I suppose it was."

I swung my feet over the side of the bed, laying them on the cool stone as I pushed my body onto the edge. Such an act was reprimanded, however; Cordelia and Raven jumped to action immediately.

"Milord, what are you doing?!" Raven called out. "You are in no condition to be moving about!"

"Stop complaining," I retorted. "I'm not even that bad off, the pain is barely there."

"Raven's right," Cordelia added, tugging at my blanket. "It doesn't matter, you are not going out in-"

What she ended up revealing by moving the covers showed something both remarkable and alarming at the same time. The bandages on my torso were completely dried, not a patch of blood on them. Gasps filled the room from the other two as I touched at the skin beneath the wrapping. It was… smooth. Not a scratch, not even so much as any sign of scar tissue.

It didn't just heal. It completely regenerated.

A single thought settled in my mind before it was voiced in a simple nonchalant sentence. "Guess I don't need these bandages."

I gave my lower torso a quick once-over in an attempt to find one of the tail ends of the cloth, and once I find it, I make short work of unraveling it. And just like the blind touch test just moments before, it was revealed to be completely undamaged. The same tanned skin that spread across the rest of my body was present where the wound should be.

"Well, well, well…" I grinned as I dropped a fistful of the cloth to the ground. "I suppose my time here is done. I'm going to head out, probably get something to eat-I'm starving-and find something else to do."

I waved back to the two as I turned on my heel. "Take care, you two."

I felt a sudden pressure on my wrist as I tried to leave the room. It came from a tenderly gloved hand; behind it was Cordelia. "Wait just a moment."

"Cordelia," I began with an amused smile. "I have lost my dinner through the gaping wound, and haven't eaten two days hence. I need something in my stomach."

"You and I need to talk," she said sternly, dismissing my joking quip.

"Can I at least go to-"

"No." she demanded. Her voice dropped to the usual register she uses when she wasn't up to dealing with bullcrap. It took only a quick shift of the eyes to realize that Raven had left the room. How he managed to disappear in the blink of an eye without my knowing was beyond me, but that was a question meant to be shelved in my back pocket for now. The crafty bastard. He left me all alone and now I couldn't escape. I could have had the choice between the redheaded fury before me and a wild wyvern foaming at the mouth for Pandorian blue-blooded steak, and I still would have chosen the dragon.

At least there, I would have a chance at winning.

"Define 'talk'," I inquired wryly. My dry humour was not well-received, as the features on Cordelia's face hardened into a no-nonsense glare, complete with a furrowed brow and hands placed on her hips.

"Did your hospitalization make you forget what happened?" She crossed her arms. "What was the whole 'goodbye' thing about?"

I huffed off to the side. "I don't want to talk about this right now, alright?"

"Then when, Eric?" she snapped back. "When? A week? A month? A year? After we get married? You can't keep putting it off forever."

I slowly drew in a harsh breath before exhaling hard. There was no easy answer I could give. And to make matters worse, the familiar violet orbs were drawn to my own eyes, as if pressing me to provide an answer.

"If we even get married."

A confused brow was raised. "And what would ever give you an idea like that?

"Now who's forgetting things?" I deadpanned. "If I do recall, it was you who took off the ring and said you couldn't do this."

Cordelia's shoulders rose and fell with a single bark of a laugh before she removed her glove, revealing her naked left hand. As well as the ornament on it. "You mean this ring?"

My eyes widened and my jaw dropped to the ground. "Yes. That ring exactly. How the hell did you get it? I gave it to Raven."

"He gave it to me," she replied calmly as she examined the jewelry.

"Ha, that's a sight," I chuckled. "Never knew you were Raven's type."

An annoyed, yet playful slap was sent my way, making contact with my shoulder. "Very funny. No, he presented it on your behalf. And I took it graciously and happily."

"I'm not so sure about happily," I huffed derisively as I dragged my body over to the hospital bed again. If I wasn't going to escape her, might as well get comfortable.

"You don't think I'm happy with you?"

"The last week or so would be a great place to start."

The redhead sighed. "Okay, I will admit that it has been pretty bad for us. That said, I would like to ask you just to imagine. Imagine you are with someone only to find out that your partner's ex-"

"Not my ex."

"Semantics," Cordelia argued. "And don't interrupt me."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Say your partner's ex comes around the corner from nowhere saying that they're pregnant with their child. That's going to shake anyone up."

"I know." I rubbed away at the wrinkles in the sheets. "It's a huge wrench thrown. And that's where the problem lies."

I avoided her gaze with a heavy sigh. "To sum it up: My selfishness has brought you pain and hurt. My selfishness broke Say'ri and has threw her life into turmoil; she's a forced mother now. I could see the pain in both her eyes and yours. And with me being the cause of that…"

I growled out my frustration and guilt. "I was trying to remove myself from the equation."

"Remove yourself-" Cordelia began in confusion before she took a step forward towards me. She leaned in towards me and swiftly flicked my forehead.

"Ow!" I shot a hand up, making contact with my forehead.

"You know, for someone with your working brain, you can be a huge idiot sometimes." The redhead bent down to meet my eye level, her face only inches away from mine. Cordelia was never one for sass, mind you, but in that moment, with her stern expression and the way she was in my face with her hands on her hips, it would make someone reconsider.

"So your solution to all of this was to leave your fiancée heartbroken and lonely, as well as your baby mother alone and pregnant? Leaving your child to be born and live without a father?"

I scratched my head in thought. When she puts it like that… "When you say it aloud… Gods, that does sound terrible."

"Really?" she replied, placing her hands on her knees. "I never would have guessed."

"Sarcasm is unbecoming of you, you know."

A cheeky grin danced across her face. "What can I say, I learn from the best. But I digress," she said before her face softened to a saddened smile. "You're very impulsive sometimes. Do you know how sad I was seeing you say goodbye like that? What's even worse, you almost ended up dead and I couldn't do anything to save you. It broke my heart."

My silence, mainly for the purpose of preventing anything stupid from leaving my mouth, was all Cordelia needed to press forward. "I don't care what has been said or done. I love you with all my heart. And Say'ri does too. Despite what you think, she's not using her pregnancy to get you, she genuinely loves you. And if I had to wager, I'd say you loved her just as much as you love me, at least at some point."

I jerked back in surprise and confusion. "What?"

"Please, you can't fool me, even if you've succeeded in fooling yourself," she barked. "A woman's intuition is sharper than any weapon you'll ever come across."

I narrowed my eyes in suspicion when I saw her face; specifically, her amused and… not angry face. "For someone who came to this conclusion, you seem… not very angry. Are you okay?"

"I'm perfectly fine," she replied. "But I do have one question. Do you want to be with your child?"

What… what sort of question is that? Of course I do; no child should have to live without their parents, much less so my own. "Yes, without a doubt."

The redheaded woman sat down right beside me on the bed. "Then do it."

"But-"

"Before you say anything, that doesn't mean you're leaving me either."

"What are you getting at then?" I was starting to get a little bit impatient, annoyed at her cryptic approach.

"The other night, Say'ri and I were speaking after you left, and I could see it in her. She loves you so much, and she loves her child that you gave her." She took my hand in hers. "Now, chalk it up to a lucky break or whatever you'd like to, but I'd come to a solution everyone would approve."

Here it comes. "And it is…?"

"She and I decided that we would both have you."

My jaw dropped to the ground and eyes widened in surprise. No, surprise was an understatement. I couldn't even process anything that was going through my mind. Cordelia. Willing to share me, with another woman? The same woman who, a week before, was on the verge of breaking up with me, stood before me offering such a proposition?

Oh, hell. Now I definitely knew it. I'm dead.

"Come again?"

"You heard me, didn't you?" she questioned.

"Yes," I whispered, numbly nodding at her words. "I'm just… just trying to come to terms, trying to process."

"Eric," she began. "Share. Say it with me, _slowly_. Sha-sha-shaaaare."

"Cherry, I hear you. I speak Ylissean just like everyone else," I sighed, shaking my head. "But you're legitimately okay with this? Having my attention split in two towards another woman?"

"Who said you're dividing it?" Very rarely does Cordelia get suggestive with her words, but this was one of those times, and while I generally didn't have much in the way of opposition towards it, there was something about this case in general that just… just felt off for some reason I probably would never get to the bottom of.

She cupped the far side of my face and pulled it closer to her in a smooth way. I could feel her soft breath on the right side of my face, her own only inches away. Her lips just barely grazing my ear as she whispered her words smooth as silk. "It just means you have to work twice as hard to… satisfy the both of us."

I could feel my face and ears getting hot as she kissed my cheek. "And you still have to make it up to me. After all, Say'ri had her fun before I did, so that has been _really_ bothering me."

I struggled to keep my composure, contemplating the benefits versus drawbacks of Raven leaving Cordelia and I alone. "G-godsdamned tease…"

"You're just so easy, you brought it upon yourself," the redhead giggled. "Anyway, you wanted to go eat, and I have some things to take care of, I've spent the last two days waiting for you to awaken. I'll see you later." She got up from her seat and made her way to the room's exit, but not before sending me a wink and blowing a kiss my way. I was just left there, absolutely dumbstruck. If I had to guess, I'm pretty sure that I would need some mechanical help to raise my jaw back to neutral position. Or magical, whatever would suffice.

"I swear, those two women are going to be the death of me," I shuddered, barely missing a retching sound coming from outside of the window.

Quickly reaching for my shirt on the bedside table, I slipped it on and approached with caution. Damn it if I didn't have my sword, but I could certainly hold my own if anything were to happen. Taking the leap, I opened the window and saw a figure hopping about the castle grounds, as if trying to escape. Many possibilities ran through my mind, but one that quickly stuck to the wall was this could have been an enemy, perhaps either to spy on me or to finish me off. Either way, I couldn't let him get away. I climbed out onto the window sill and readied myself; my leg muscles tensing before pushing off in a powerful jump that sent me flying. Not enough to reach him in one bound, but I landed a few yards away on one of the castle's ramparts.

Our chase would have us go leaping and dashing from rooftop to rooftop and tree to tree as we sped through the capital. His speed was great, I reasoned, having avoided me a number of times throughout the ordeal. As I was able to inch closer towards the figure, I spotted a few noticeable features. For one, this man was more than likely a female; the hair atop their head was the giveaway to that particular idea. What's more, the legs had a far more shapely design than most men's bodies would ever allow. Despite this, however, my view of her face was obstructed, and telling from the elastic around the back of her head, I deduced she was wearing a mask. Well, female or male, the final thing I noticed was that her power was enormous. Not quite on my level, but she'd certainly be able to compete with majority of the Shepherds as it stood.

Over-analysis aside, my train came to a halt once she stopped at a remote area of the Ylissean capital, more specifically, an abandoned residential district. Many of the homes were crumbled to rubble and dust, left barren of any people. I suppose this was one of the many casualties caused by the Second Plegian War, but that was for another day.

"I hope you had fun with this incessant game of tag," I scoffed as the masked woman turned to face me. Hers was the visage of a viper's, the green scales of the mask complimenting the murky red of her garb. She wore plenty of leather armour, plated with metal only on her forearms and her shoulders, the latter of which sported the form of serpentine heads. She also wore skin tight pants with a single taupe stripe running down the middle, tucked into knee-high steel boots. "Care to tell me what you've been spying on me for?"

The woman stood there silently, refusing to answer my question.

"Too straightforward?" I asked. "I suppose a little foreplay is in order, get to know each other a little."

"You know, it doesn't look good for a sweet little girl like me being hit on by a homely old coot," she snaps in defence.

I clench my fist in indignation. "I would like to point out that I'm not even twenty-three yet, so I'm not old. And I wasn't hitting on you, don't flatter yourself."

"Oh?" she exclaimed, whipping one of her vibrant pigtails behind her. "I thought you had a thing for redheads."

"Thing for redheads? How-" It hit me a full second after she finished that statement, what she meant in particular. She was there when Cordelia and I were talking after all.

"I bet you thought _she_ was pretty," the woman grumbled aloud.

"In all fairness, you are kind of hiding your face beneath a mask," I retorted.

"Ugh, just as annoying as ever," she groaned. "However you got her is beyond me."

"So, is there anything in particular you want, or did you just lure me out here to insult me?" I asked dryly, growing impatient with the girl's ample chatter.

"Actually, yes." The woman took a deep breath against her mask before she fell back into a combat stance, her arms raised and her feet in position. "I've heard a lot of your achievements, like when you defeated the Mad King single-handedly. But you look like nothing more than a big joke! I've seen insects more terrifying-looking than you!"

"I'd certainly like to meet such a bug," I joked before taking a stance of my own. "But honestly, do you really want to try your hand against me? I'm fresh out of the infirmary, but I can still throw down."

I got my answer in the form of a powerful punch that sent strong vibrations through the metal arm I used to block it. Through the openings in the mask, I could see the surprise in her eyes. Understandably too, as most others would crumple just from being around the area of that punch.

"I don't remember you having a metal arm," she whispered.

"What?"

"I said I'm surprised you have a metal arm," she stated. "It came in handy nonetheless. I probably would have broke your arm otherwise."

"Please," I scoffed. "I can't be taken so easily."

I pushed her off before throwing one just as strong as hers, forcing her to back away to avoid it. Her reaction time and survival instinct was honed to a considerable degree. Clearly, she'd been trained well and wasn't a simple street brawler.

"Fine then… have it your way." In a split second, I ended up at her feet, aiming an upward kick to her chin. With barely an instant of time, she sprung back on her hands to evade the hit. Her counterattack flowed seamlessly from her defence, using her smaller stature to get in close and mitigate the range my taller frame allowed.

Fists up guarding her face, she threw her punches like a boxer, each of which were stronger and faster than a bullet train. Dodging or blocking each of them were their own struggle, her style was very aggressive and allowed for very little time to react between each strike. Following her ineffective combo came a spinning backhand, making contact with my forearm.

'She's changing styles,' I thought.

Indeed she was. Whoever she was-or rather, whoever her teacher was and what they did-she certainly wasn't lacking in the versatility department. Her relentless onslaught mixed in jabs, chops and elbows before she finished off with a gargantuan kick that held the force of a wyvern. Even with my metal arm as defence, it still managed to send me tumbling into the remnants of a brick wall.

I rose back to my feet to see her raised leg glowing with white light before she let it down once more, the glow dying shortly after. "So you can manipulate magic too, hm?" I rolled out my neck. "No wonder why you hit so hard. I almost felt that."

"But… but that was powerful enough to smash through stone!" the masked woman barked.

"I told you, I just got out of the infirmary, so I'm still a little shaky," I said, rolling my wrist out. "But you haven't a single clue what I'm capable of.

Removing my personal suppressions, my body generated winds that blew away anything from small pebbles to large boulders of debris, and even threatened to topple the viper and the remains of the structures around us. The pressure cause her to try and stand her ground, planting her feet firmly into the ground and taking a staggered stance to keep herself in spot.

Suddenly, the winds reversed their course, drawing itself towards me slowly. I could tell that the anticipation and anxiety in my opponent was rising steadily, waiting for my next move. I pulled back my fist past my chest, the wind magic gathering and building around the shape of my right fist. Then, with a pregnant pause, came the words that would seal the deal. " _Tiro al Vacío_ (Vacuum Shot)."

With all of the wind magic gathered, I launched a monstrous punch of wind that sent debris flying up in a dust explosion. The sound of crumbling stone, howling wind and splintering wood roared in my ears. The attack hit its mark dead center, carving out a shallow concave trench in its line of fire. In the center of it all was the viper, minus a few things.

Her hair, previously well-groomed and maintained now resembled a bed-headed mess with pigtails, many thin strands falling over her face. Speaking of which, due to the pressure rending her mask to pieces, her face was now exposed for all to see. Her slightly tanned complexion was flawless, her rounded face held a snarky scowl on it that was both adorable, yet fierce at the same time. What was most unique, however, was her eyes. Big, vibrant irises, narrowed in ire, it was visually evident she had heterochromia: she sported both an eye of violet as well as an eye of brown.

"So that's what you've hiding beneath that mask," I said.

"Gah! Y-you idiot!" she barked angrily. "You ruined my hair! And broke my mask!"

"Sorry," I laughed sheepishly. "I guess I should've held back a little bit more, huh?"

"Do you know how long it takes me to get this done everyday?!"

I groaned out yet another nervous laugh, not wanting to deal with the wrath of an angry woman. One was enough for this week. "Look, I feel bad. Um… ah." Quickly reaching for what I had on me, I present to her a handful of gold coins. "This should probably be enough to cover another mask as well as, um… collateral for your hair."

Hesitantly, she reached for the currency and took it, placing it in her pocket. "Well, I suppose this'll suffice. B-but don't think this is over! I'll get my revenge against you another time!"

"Another time?" I asked. "Our fight right now is over?"

The girl moved the stray hairs and tried to fix it back the best she could. "Well, I'm not going to fight like this! Just because I can fight doesn't mean I can't look good doing it!"

"Fair point," I replied. "Well then, before you go… Could you at least give me your name?"

"Not that it matters to you…" she mumbled before extending her hand out towards me. "Name's Crimson Cobra, but my friends call me Cece."

She turned her gaze away. "I guess you can call me Cece if you want… N-not that we're friends or anything! It just might be easier to remember for an idiot like you!"

"Whatever lets you sleep at night," I said with a shrug, shaking her hand.

"You can't let anyone know you met with me, okay? Trust me on this," she demanded. "Got it?"

"Understood."

She turned away and disappeared further into the outskirts of town, but not before mumbling something underneath her breath. I couldn't make out what it was, but I wasn't going to spend all day dwelling on it.

Only a few moments would pass before I was approached by Raven who descended from the sky. He had a serious face on, which didn't often happen unless something took place, which could range anywhere from mild displeasure to extremely severe. "Milord! Milord, I have urgent news!"

"Your voice and tone tells me it's not something good." I crossed my arms. "What is it?"

Raven swallowed a visible lump in his throat. "Lady Say'ri… she's been taken."

* * *

 **FD: *stares at blank page for an hour***

 **Tychon: I told you to do your homework! I don't want you failing your classes.**

 **FD: I AM doing my homework. Or at least attempting. ...Gods, I hate Calculus.**

 **Tychon: Well, at least your exams are over for first semester. T-that's something to be happy about. A-and your birthday is coming up soon! This is like an early birthday gift.**

 **FD: And I would be celebrating if not for the looming threat of adulthood. But anyway…**

 **Now that we're out of the awkward period of this portion of the story, things will finally take off and I won't have a crap ton of outside responsibilities and writer's block weighing me down. I feel bad because while I've been delaying this for quite a while, I couldn't figure out where I wanted to go with this particular chapter. It's been bothering me, but now that's it's out of the way, we can get into the meat of everything. I've also been putting this chapter off in favor of the manga I've been planning for a while, so if anyone is interested and has character bios and descriptions I could use for it, PM me and we can talk. Hope you all have a good day, Fell Dragonite out.**


	12. Say'ri Retrieval Arc: Departure

**FD: Well, hello there, all my readers! What is going on?**

 **Lancer: I could ask you the same thing, Draco. What's gotten into you today?**

 **FD: It is now March!**

 **Tychon: Okay…? Even if you celebrate St. Pat's day up north, you don't care for that, so that can't be it… Ah, I remember now! Your birthday passed!**

 **FD: Aye, my eighteenth to be exact. Gone are the years of my childhood, and into adulthood, where the only certainties in life are taxes. But it's just such a big step that I can't help but be proud of.**

 **Tychon: I hope you enjoyed your first celebration as a legal adult, but uh, I have a question. Your birthday is the absolute end of February, correct?**

 **FD: Indeed, on the 29th.**

 **Tychon: W-when do you celebrate when it's not here? On the 28th, or the 1st of March? E-either way, wouldn't that make you only four and a half?**

 **FD: Everyone can debate those in the reviews or PM me to tell me what they think. For now, though, onto the chapter!**

 **We own nothing!**

* * *

Chrom simply sat behind his desk, a hand braced up against his temple and his shoulders heaving out a heavy, exasperated sigh. Admittedly, the prince had his fair share of stress and workload to handle, being the exalt and whatnot. The pile of parchments certainly did its job of conveying that mess in a visual representation alone. To make matters worse, the amount of requests and complaints he got from snobby nobles and councilmen alike served only to exacerbate his general distaste for his governing position at the current moment. He was certainly glad he had his wife to help him, even if she had yet to get the hang of her duties as queen.

A tired hand ran through his blue mop. "Eric, for the love of Naga-"

"Tell me to calm down again, and I'm going to kick your ass," I growled out.

"No need for any of that, Eric," the prince replied. "I understand that you're upset, she could be in any kind of danger right now. In light of this, however, we still need to keep a clear head. Rushing in cannons blazing is not going to help us."

"A "clear head" is not going to save her, dammit!" A powerful fist came crashing down, splintering the surface of the fine wooden desk. While this forceful gesture made the queen as well as Cordelia jump, Chrom and Raven remained steadfast. "We need to act quickly!"

Chrom pointed a lone finger. "You need to get me a new desk."

I was tempted grossly to snatch a fistful of hair; either mine out of frustration, or Chrom's to try and relieve myself of it. "I don't think you understand the gravity of the situation, Chrom. Say'ri. She, a woman of royal status from a foreign country, was abducted by a group of random men. To add to that, she is pregnant. So by sitting here, twiddling your thumbs in your seat, she could potentially be put into fatal danger!"

Chrom's quill twirled in-between fingers. "And I'd love to take action, if we had anything to go off of. We still need to feel the situation out."

"What the HELL is there left to feel out?" I snarled. "Will you stop making excuses, godsdamn it?!"

"I have to agree, Lord Chrom," Raven interjected. "We have everything we need to make our next move. There should be nothing holding us back."

"Is that right?" the exalt questioned.

"The man who attacked milord on that night goes by the name Shuyo, accompanied by his elite guard. From what he's lipped off about, it seems he comes from Pandora, no doubt about that. Logic dictates that our next destination, is Pandora."

"Right," Chrom added. "But how can we even access the land in the first place? Sea vessels aren't in high supply here in Ylisse, and the land itself is magically sealed. It would be an astronomical task to undertake."

"Unless you had proof of Pandorian citizenship, such as an insignia, magical signature," I jerked a thumb upward, "or a Brand that happens to be on your face."

Chrom turned his head towards his grey-haired wife, who softly shrugged at the information given. After turning back, he propped his head up on a lazy palm while his other hand tapped rhythmically by his index.

"Being that both Lady Cordelia and I were not in the household for the past two days as she and I were both faithfully waiting for milord to recover, it would have been very easy for her to have been kidnapped then," Raven reasoned. "Therefore, it's not farfetched to assume that who had attacked milord was responsible for Lady Say'ri's disappearance."

"I still wonder… present or future…?"

My head craned over my right shoulder. "Did you say something, Cordelia?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, no um, not at all." It seemed like I had caught her while she was in a bit of a daze. "Sorry, it's just that I was remembering something a little peculiar. Something that Shuyo person said."

Raven immediately jumped on the bandwagon. "Indeed, I'd been puzzled as well. It was pertaining to his final cryptic words to us, no?"

"Yes," the redhead answered. "If I remember correctly, his phrase was-"

""What is your choice? The present? Or the future?" I believe that was his phrasing," the swordsman finished.

"Present or future…?" I repeated monotonously over and over as if repetition would bring me to my goal. Try as I might, an answer would not come to me.

"Wait," Sumia entered in. "What did he mean when he said present?"

"From what I can recall," Raven began. "These words were said after he had dispatched of milord and left him to die."

The moment the words left him, Raven's blood froze as he stood stiff as a board. With the silence that everyone's concern brought, one could hear the tiniest of pins drop to the floor with an ominous, yet oddly satisfying clinking sound. Fist clenched in growing ire, nails digging deep into lightly calloused palms as slight trembles rocked his form here and there. His eyes widened in shock and horror, having come to a sudden realization that he didn't like at all. If he didn't… just imagine his king's reaction. "Good gods…"

"What is it Raven?" Cordelia asked. I didn't need to ask what was wrong; I could already tell something wasn't good.

"Damn that blasted man!" the raven-haired advisor cursed. "His target was never Say'ri…!"

And suddenly that's when everything fell into place with me. Attempting an attack on me. Going after Say'ri that night. That whole present-future thing. It all made sense now.

Now I was CERTAIN someone had to die.

"Present… future… that disgusting _grub_ is going after my kid!" My hand reached out for the bluenette's collar, jerking his form forward to mere inches away from my own. "He's set his sights on my kid and you're just going to sit here, useless?!"

Another guttural growl followed my rhetorical question before I released the blue-headed monarch of Ylisse. "This entire time, I haven't even once asked you to send in your men or whatnot to capture them. It's not your problem, nor do I expect it to be. All I wish is for you to let me go after them myself."

Chrom patted the new wrinkles I put in his shirt for him, his silence begging for more.

"You said so yourself that we have no way of catching them because we lack naval vessels, which is all the more reason to leave immediately! It's unlikely, but it's still possible that we can intercept them before they reach the eastern coastline!"

"Eric," Chrom began. "Look, I get where you're coming from, but I'm putting my foot down when I say that this is a poor idea. I can't be there to help you, which also means no support from the Shepherds. Going by yourself is suicide, so just stay put for now. You're making a bad decision here."

Fierce eyes narrowed something akin to contempt. "Maybe so. But it's mine to make." I turned on my heel to make a clean exit, not wanting to have to deal with Chrom's inability to act in this specific scenario.

The sound of chair legs scratching the floor beneath us echoed through the office before a voice, "What do you think will happen when you come face-to-face with that man who attacked you?"

I came to a sudden stop right at the door. My mind went blank as it had to absorb the true weight of what it is the exalted blunette said to me. Loath as I am to admit, that was a question I couldn't ignore. What would I do? The last time he and I fought, he gutted me like a damned fish. Adding insult to injury, it was at my peak of power.

Although, while I thought briefly about what tipped the favours against me, I also came to give myself somewhat of a mental pep talk. He may have beaten me at the peak of my natural power, but everything is weaker when unfocused. In other words, he simply caught me on a bad day. I was already mentally strained with everything going on between Cordelia, Say'ri and the unborn baby. Now, I've set my functions to fight and kill. That is all.

Shuyo's first mistake was messing with the king. And his second will be assuming that I'll give him another chance.

I tightened my fist. "If he and I cross paths… I'll rip out his entrails and hang him by them."

I swung open the door. "Raven. Cordelia."

"Of course, milord." And with that, I left the room with both Raven and Cordelia in tow.

* * *

We had decided to wait until nighttime before we'd enact our plan. Well, sort of. Most of the time we were waiting was actually allocated towards packing up all of what we could possible before moving out. In a literal sense. Raven pointed out that it would have been a good course of action to pack our belongings to take with us in the event that when we defeated Shuyo as well as save Say'ri, I could reclaim what my family had lost many years ago. In the dead of night, the redheaded knight of Ylisse and my retainer had finally gotten prepared for the trip, which I honestly did question a little, but ultimately overlooked it. Sure, it was only Cordelia, Raven and I, but surely it was nothing the three of us couldn't handle.

Cordelia had her usual armour on, and from what I could tell by glancing at her, she felt a sense of nostalgia and familiarity, and to an extent, I could relate. Ylisse wasn't really brewing with conflicts, so it's not like there was much need for battle gear as much as it used to. Diana-the name of her pegasus-gave a determined snort as the rider mounted the winged creature.

Meanwhile, I'd finally saddled up on my bear after so long, chomping at the bit to make the call to move out. A grin gradually forced its way onto my face as I thought about gutting that bald midget. Which is why I made sure that this time, I had Eternity at my belt. No longer was I going to leave anything to chance and I certainly was not going to make the same mistake twice. Not with so much on the line.

And finally, Raven hopped up onto Mei Ling behind me. My first suggestion was that he, ahem… "appropriate" one of the Ylissean cavalry horses often kept in the stables, but it more than likely would have gone poorly due to the guards who traipse around the premises twenty-four seven, as Raven made sure to let me know. "Ready to advance, milord? It's your call."

"As long as you guys are both ready," I began before perking up in mock realization. "Oh, how rude of me. I meant to say "as long as you guys are ALL ready"."

I turned my head back towards the front gates. "Isn't that right, Olivia?"

A timid little "eep!" echoed from behind a tree, alerting the other two to her presence. Sure enough, the rose-haired dancer slowly emerged from her wooden hiding spot and walked up towards our small group. I noticed how intently she was trying not to make eye contact with Raven, albeit failing a number of times over as she chanced a few brief glances at the swordsman. "H-how long did you know I was following you all?"

I chuckled softly. "Well, you're rather light on your feet, there wasn't any way that I would have heard you coming. But your vibrantly coloured hair, on the other hand, not so good for stealth."

The dancer stroked her flowing pink locks sheepishly, trying to make the best of the awkward situation she thought she put herself into. What I also managed to pick up on was the sword the petite woman had on her hip, sheathed in leather casing. "I see you come packing heat, huh? Care to explain?"

"U-um… well…" Olivia clenched her eyes shut as she tried to muster the right amount of courage needed for her answer. It hadn't been too long, but the long she held back her tongue, it seemed the deeper her face would go in shades of red. How she managed to pull off the look of a tomato so flawlessly was beyond me, any guess would be as good as mine. Then, eventually she reached the point of no return, her words coming out in a rush of strung together sounds, "Iwanttogowithyouplease!" she barked.

"O~kay," I began. "Now would you like to repeat that, this time a little slower?"

The pinkette's shoulders shrunk a little. "I… I would like, um… I'd like to go with you three, if that's okay with you."

"Well…"

Her fingertips tapped against each other idly. "It's just that… I-I didn't really get to do much ever since the expedition months ago… a-and I still feel like my technique could use a little bit of work…"

Yet another devious grin crept upon my face, which immediately made Cordelia facepalm in prediction of what I was going to do.

She would be right in doing so.

"...you just want to spend more time around Raven, don't you?"

At that moment, Olivia would have been credited for inventing a new level of red, dwarfing Cordelia's hair in hue, among other fiery-coloured things; at least her face would have, anyway. The dancer flailed her hands around frantically and stumbled over her words at a level that rivalled Sumia. "N-n-n-no, it's not l-l-like that at all! I just want to b-better myself! B-but that's not to say I dislike your company, Raven! I-I just… I mean, I don't… oh fiddlesticks…"

"Come on, dear, stop teasing the girl, would you?" Cordelia sighed. "Playing with her shyness like that, shame on you."

"Ah, come on, Cherry," I retorted with a chuckle. "We're going on a long trip, can't I have my fun?"

"Not when you're attacking my sweet little Olive Oyl," she cooed in a playful manner.

"Olive O-" I sighed after a moment of confusion. How did she make a reference that not even I recognized at first notice? It also didn't help that Cordelia wasn't the first and worst offender. No, that honour belonged to Chrom.

"T-thank you, Cordelia… I guess…" Olivia stammered.

"So, are you sure you are prepared for this, Olivia?" Raven questioned. "This is by no means an easy trek. Our four-man group is faced with the threat of a number of dangerous foes, at its BEST case scenario. Are you sure that you are willing to press forward?"

The meek dancer gave a solid nod of certainty with a grunt of acceptance, the irony of which was not lost on myself and the other two present. At this answer, Raven responded with a smile of his own. "Very well then," Raven nodded as he turned his gaze back to facing forward. "Now then, milord-"

"Yeah, I figured it'd be best if I joined Cordelia for this one," I said with a cheeky smile as I hopped onto the horse right behind my fiancée. "I have a good eye in the sky so I think I'd be able to help out Cherry here when it comes to surveillance."

"Uh, Eric, I'm pretty sure I can-"

"Quiet!" I whispered harshly as I nudged the redhead's side. "Don't you need the help?"

"Yes I do," she ground out. "It's nice to get help, things like this can be a pain in the neck." Ignoring that last part aimed at me, I took hold of Cordelia's waist while Olivia made sure to get on the bear behind Raven. "Now then, off we go, shall we?"

"Have you situated yourself, Olivia?" the swordsman asked, receiving a sound of confirmation from the pinkette. With a flap of wings and a guttural roar from Mei Ling, the four of us took off.

It wouldn't be long before we reach well over the treeline of the nearby woods in altitude, the roaring of wind a constant in my ears. Being behind a lady like Cordelia was both a lovely thing, yet annoying in this case. Because while her tantalizing scent enveloped my senses, it also happened to come in the medium of whiplike hair at the mercy of the winds they were subject to.

The head that said hair belonged to turned back. "So where is it that we are going?"

"You know the desert in southeastern Ylisse?"

Cordelia nodded. "Aye. the Talys desert, the only one our nation houses. But why there?"

"When Raven came here to find me, that was the path he took in order to do so, or at least that's what I know from what he told me," I answered. "He said it was the easiest point of access Ylisse has to our country. If that's so… then it's possible that it's that location our targets are approaching."

"It's almost completely eastward of Ylisstol, so why on earth are we heading south?" she questioned.

I tightened my grip around the knight's waist. "Because there's a smaller town up ahead just a little over two hours away. We need to stock up on a good amount of supplies, and we spent the better end of our nighttime getting what little we could ready. We could use the rest."

"Any inns?" she responded.

"Just one if I recall. Though it's rather late as is, so I'm not entirely sure if they'll take us in. Fingers crossed."

A couple of condescending clicks came to pass. "Grossly unprepared."

"Can't prepare for everything, Cherry."

"Fair enough." After a somewhat bearable trip which moved along smoothly due to idle chatter, we finally made it to our first given destination: a quaint little town built around a single crossroads, decorated with a large beacon of a sign with an arrow pointing towards each direction, with a noteworthy landmark or destination labelling each direction. The place had a little bit of an old west feel, and it was so small that a long enough walk would be enough to pass right through it. The particular inn that we entered was built of of a simple wooden and stone build, a modest two-storey structure with each having perhaps five or six rooms on the second floor.

Once we were able to keep our mounts stationary outside of the place, we all entered to check in. At the front counter waiting was a rather bored looking man leaning his head against his palm. Couldn't blame him so much, it was rather late and graveyard shift is a rather bothersome shift at that. That said, we were rather tired too.

"Excuse me, sir," I began, trying to get his attention. "Could you get us two rooms; one for the ladies here and one for us?" After gesturing for both Raven and I, the man immediately sobered up from his half-asleep stupor. Receiving a tilted head and look of confusion that ultimately led to a lackadaisical shrug. Turning our back to us, he reached for two keys that each had a numbered tag; the key handed to me was labeled with a "5", while the girls' room key was labeled "3".

"Thank you, we can find the rooms ourselves." I reach into my wallet, placing three gold coins onto the counter for the man to greedily swipe up, muttering something about being rich as we head to our rooms to retire for the night.

* * *

Needless to say, my sleep was less than comfortable. Not by lack of comfortable bedding, what I slept on was actually fairly soft. No, it was simply because I couldn't sleep. Eh, some nights are a hit, others are a miss. It also didn't help that the safety of the Chon'sinese princess weighed on my mind quite a bit, so it ended up resulting in a four-hour nap at best, waking up at the crack of dawn.

Oh well, I was up now.

I pushed myself up to a seated position in my own bed, fatigue only slightly weighing on my consciousness. I rubbed my eyes free of the sleep with a tired yawn before stretching out my body, getting it a bit more limber. With a sigh, I looked around the room, only to find Raven's bed completely empty. Where exactly could he have gone, I wondered? The markets weren't opened yet. Hmm, perhaps he had embarked on an early morning walk? He certainly enjoyed the frequent lonely walk, a sentiment I could definitely relate to.

The simultaneous click of a knob and slam of a door reverberated throughout the room to let me know the Pandorian swordsman had returned from his early morning stroll. If any time was good enough to discuss our next approach now would be a good time.

Wait. Something isn't right. Last time I remember, I had rented this room for myself and Raven. And the only females I had accompanying me were of vibrantly coloured hair, red and pink respectively. So why was there a dark haired woman drying her hair with a drying towel?

And more importantly, why was she topless?!

"La la la~" The woman, eyes closed, seemed to be completely unaware of my presence, else she'd have probably screamed at the top of her lungs. And by no means was I the type to cheat… but in all honesty, just because I wasn't able to order off of the menu doesn't mean I could look it over. Briefly, mind you. As human as I may be, I still had a level of dignity and self-control. At least enough to avert my eyes after a split second of letting my eyes wander.

"Ahem!" I choked out, causing the woman to jump out of her skin. "I'm sorry, my lady, but you have the wrong room. This is my room whom I am sharing with my right-hand man."

The woman, having finally turned to make eye contact with me, froze in spot, her face quickly transforming from its original porcelain to a beet red. Gradually, her soft whimpers grew louder and louder, the embarrassment evident on her face. Then it hit her. She was naked from the waist up.

"Gaaah!" Frantically, she covered her chest with one arm while the other went for her shirt she had on a nearby chair. "H-h-how much did you see?"

Not wanting to make it any more awkward, I clasped a hand over my eyes. "Er, not much, fortunately. Um, well, that's not to say you don't have anything, you're fairly well-endowed, but, uh… I mean…" By Naga, I'm making things even worse. "Look, I really don't think you should be here right now, my friend will be back at any moment now."

"Aw, how benevolent of you, milord," she smiled awkwardly. "To grant me such a title. I am blessed."

"Ri-" Hold up. Hold the hell up. I know that smooth, sweet tone anywhere. That sound in the voice that conveyed only the most powerful sense of loyalty.

That meant… oh. Oh gods. Holy crap.

"No… no, you can't be…" I sputtered out hopelessly, unable to process and accept what the logical answer was. "That can't be you… is it, Raven?!"

A sheepish laugh preceded a lilting voice. "Haha, I supposed the cat's out of the bag."

* * *

I turned my gaze away from the dark-haired man-erm, WOMAN who was changing in my presence. It wasn't the first time I'd ever seen a woman naked, obviously, but to know that previously, I had always known said woman to be a man… it kind of shook me up, this revelation. Although, in my eyes, the fact that she was a woman with such an impressive resume in kicking ass made her all the more badass. And more terrifying.

I heard a tear in cloth, which I would later figure out to be binding wraps used to hold back her breasts. "It's okay now, I'm covered up." Turning to make eye contact with her again, I saw that she was indeed covered across her chest with bandaging. Having my attention now, she took a seat on the other bed in seiza position. Hers was an expression of apprehension reflecting her uncertainty of my response, garnished with a pink tinge of shame and mortification across her cheeks. She couldn't help but stare directly at the floor, trying to figure a way to address the matter in a good way.

Breaking the ice, my curiosity had gotten the better of me and led the charge in this conversation. "So… why exactly did you masquerade as a male?"

Raven fidgeted with a lock of hair behind her ear. "I wish not to discuss the full extent of it all, but one such large part is due to my position. It may not seem so right now, but in Pandora, I hold the position to lead the entire army of our nation."

A blush slowly crept from ear to ear on her face. "It would not do for their commander to take a wife. Especially if said commander is a woman herself."

Oh. I hadn't the slightest clue how to absorb this given information. It certainly caught me off guard to say the least, but not necessarily the most surprising bit of info I've come across in my lifetime. My brow scrunched at that statement, however. She wasn't wrong. From what I could remember, I don't recall any female warrior taking the lead role as Commander in Pandora's armies. Let alone a homosexual one at that. In fact, I don't remember a woman shaking up tradition at all, bar my mother. "So I suppose moving about as a man was another way of coping with your sexual preference."

Her eyes fell to the side. "Well, not so much coping as opposed to a more permanent solution, so to speak. I was, as far as physiology goes, male at a time. One such colleague of mine was able to provide me the resource needed so I didn't revert back to my true feminine self."

"Magic spell in the form of a potion or consumable, got it," I surmised. "And when did you run short of this resource? I assume that was the case, else you wouldn't be resorting to chest binds."

"Around the time we'd left Chon'sin," she answered. "I say that my colleague has done quite the job keeping my ruse covered well."

I scratched my head absently. Her head fell in front of her knees. "Milord, my deepest apologies for my deception! I only wish I could have told you soon-"

"It's fine."

Raven's head rose back up. "M-milord, I-"

"I said it's fine," I repeated. "I know how you are. And I know that if there was anything you kept from telling me, you have your given reasons for doing so. I'm not mad."

A moment of silence was born before Raven let out a cross between a scoff and a chuckle, shaking her head. "You know, for who is supposed to be an all-powerful ruler, you certainly don't act the part. Most men with half your power would be corrupt."

"I've come to realize that respect comes first," I sighed. "Powerful or not, we're all humans first and foremost. Everyone deserves that initial respect, and if they sully that, that's their problem."

My sagely expression switched to a deviant one. "My only concern is for Olivia, the poor thing."

"What is the matter with her?" Raven snapped to attention. "Is she alright?"

I realized what I said; more specifically, how this could potentially go all to hell for the two. "Uh… she's fine. But that's besides the point. I just figured that you would have at least confessed to the dancer before having your cover blown."

Raven's eyes widened. "C-confessed?! What are you-"

"Oh, you think I don't know about you and Olivia? Please, the day I came back from Chon'sin, I could tell you were taken by her," I told her. "I don't blame you, she's a cutie. You should totally jump on that."

Opting not to try and deny the truthful accusation, Raven gave a solemn sigh. The dark haired woman's eyes began to glisten with moisture. "If only I could, milord."

"I don't see why not," I replied. "If I am not to assume anything, she has a special place in your heart. And clearly, she's interested in you."

A somber smile graces Raven's features, as if to tell me that despite learning of her now reciprocated feelings, rather than being something to rejoice over, it only served to twist the proverbial blade even deeper into her gut. "Be that as it may… Her attraction was toward Raven, the swordsman who acted as knight to his king. And that's not who I am."

"In all honesty, Raven, it doesn't make much a difference. So you're a woman. Considering you looked basically the same sans mammaries, I'm adamant her feelings won't change," I spoke back.

Raven ran both hands through her long hair, a deep exhale accompanying this action. "I suppose it's something I must approach at some point or another. But right now isn't the time. First, we must continue on with our journey."

She got off the bed and righted herself onto her own two feet, patting out her thighs. "I'll make the necessary rounds for our required supplies. In the meantime, perhaps you could wake up the ladies in the other room."

"Sounds good." Raven bowed as she most often does before she slipped on the top of her uniform. As the door creaked open, I called out to the swordswoman, who turned her head in attention. "Yes milord?"

"You may see yourself as my assistant, but… You're still a person. A person who can't do everything alone." I held out my hand with a smile, more so for effect than for her to take. "As your king… I demand that should you be plagued with something on your mind, you must confide in someone. Someone, if not myself. Are we clear?"

Finally, after so long, Raven beamed one of her bright smiles. "O-of course, milord. Far be it from me to disappoint my king."

I turn my back to her for me to get fully dressed. "I'm glad to hear that."

* * *

After some time of provisional collection between the four of us, we changed direction on our trail, heading east to the Talys Desert. The remainder of the day had been a rather tight-lipped one, or at least for Raven and Olivia, it had been. While the redheaded knight and I resumed our travels as usual, exchanging words all throughout the day, the other two had been oddly taciturn. The tension was very well palpable between the swordswoman and the dancer, not due to any of the latter's efforts, mind you. Raven, since I had found out about her secret, had been very closed off and distant from Olivia, and at almost every turn she would push away the pinkette whenever any social interaction would be made. Cordelia, obviously taking note of this shift in dynamic, shot a number of glares at me as if to tell me "what the hell did you do", which was not the kind of attention I was willing to undergo from the fiery redhead.

The next few days of travel had also been rather uneventful; however, the anticipation of catching the crooks only grew in intensity as plain and grassland slowly changed to sand and desert. Obviously, this is not the full extent of the trip; the coast is where we needed to approach. At this point, it had been only sandy terrain, which made Raven and Olivia's travel on their grounded mount a little more strenuous. Still, despite this, we made it to the coastline, finally able to take some sort of rest from crossing a exorbitant distance. Watching the waves roll up against the shore smoothly gave off an essence of calming and serenity, aiding to our relaxation. Ironic, considering the risky nature of the rescue squad's mission at hand.

"So this is our destination, eh?" I look around the area. It was rather… bland. Not a single detail that particularly stood out. Sand upon sand upon sand. Wait, there's… nope. Still sand. "Are we there yet?"

"Not quite." Raven hopped off of the bear, drawing her blade. Slowly, she approached me, holding the blade in a tender manner. "Milord, if you would."

"If you would?"

"Indeed." She pushed her sword up towards me, as if presenting the weapon. "I need a sample of flesh or blood in order for this to work, and what better proof than royal blood?"

I gave a shrug of acceptance, it made perfect sense. So without hesitation, I dragged my hand across the metal presented to me, staining the white blade with my blood. The Pandorian knight gave a hum of approval before walking past me towards the coast. Suspense loomed heavily over us and our surroundings as Raven stood in front of the shoreline. Setting aside the apprehension, she brought the sword out in front of her above her head, patiently waiting for an effect to take place. And surely enough, a reaction took place.

The blade, namely the blood on it, began to glow a pale blue light, transforming in colour as well. Shining as vividly as possible, the substance fizzled with a sharp hiss before evaporating. And lastly, what had evaporated into the air had caused the nearby air to distort and ripple. While Cordelia and Olivia stared in awe and curiosity at the effect, Raven had nothing but shock in her eyes.

The swordswoman sheathed her blade in an urgent fashion. "Lady Cordelia, take to the skies and patrol the coastline immediately."

The redhead followed the request unquestioned and took off. Olivia, watching the winged horse fly off, scrunched her face up in confusion. "Raven? What's wrong? Did… did it work?"

"No," she replied. "We have company."

That instantly caught my attention. "Company? You mean…"

Raven nodded firmly. "Indeed. We've found them."

* * *

 **Narrator PoV**

"Got coinage!" Onyx cheered. "And you know it! Take it out your pouch, and show it then throw it..."

Mikalus pinched the bridge of his nose. For the love of Naga, out of the many years he had been partnered up with his rather extroverted colleague here, it had only been the last week hence that he had actually wanted to rip out the shorter man's tongue, or punch the man's teeth down his throat. Honestly, it would have granted him some level of therapy if his friend would just shut up. Don't get him wrong, he celebrated having gotten paid like any other normal person would. "Normal" being the operative word. That said, the eccentricity of his partner was just maddening.

"Onyx?" he groaned. "Shut the hell up."

"Come on, man, don't you like to celebrate getting a fat coin purse?" the shorter man asked in response.

Mikalus shook his head. "Not for nearly three days on end. Speaking so liberally about your cash like that will get you robbed. Also, we still have to collect on our job."

In both genuine and sarcastic confusion, Onyx looks about his surroundings. "Oh yes, because there are so many people around to rob me."

The blonde rolled his eyes. "Barren or populated, just… just shut up." After silencing his partner, Mikalus cut his own hand with a dagger, drawing a line of blood across his palm. He raised the weapon up to shoulder level and thrust it forward in the space in front of him. Treating it like a sort of key, he twisted it in spot, causing the air around it to ripple yet again. This time, however, the surrounding air continued to undulate for a considerable period until the space bent into the form of an arching gate with double stone doors. The structure pulsated with a weighty and powerful force, illuminating it in a hue of ocean blue.

"Awesome," Onyx gaped awestruck as Mikalus put away his knife. "Never get tired of that."

"I will admit, it is quite a sight," the blonde sighed.

An uncharacteristically pensive stare suddenly plastered itself on the shorter, usually lax sellsword. "Mikalus-"

"Mike," Mikalus corrected.

" _Mike_ ," Onyx repeated, placing a hand on the aforementioned's shoulder. "I've been thinking about something."

"Oh, you use your brain to think?" Mikalus quipped. "About what, pray tell?"

"You sure you don't want me to go collect our coin alone?" Onyx asked. "Even though it's on business… you're not exactly welcome there."

Mikalus couldn't help but exercise a rather wistful grimace. It was true; neither him, nor his sister were welcome back to Pandora as a citizen, and it had been that way for many moons. He had to come to a choice: either banishment or death. If it were only himself, he would have fought to his death. His pride as a Pandorian warrior wouldn't allow him to take the coward's way out. But for his kin, he'd swallow it with a grisly smile, and so he evacuated himself and his sister to safety. Not long after, she became very ill, blindsiding the young man greatly. He had worked himself to the bone, finding whatever employment he could in the pursuit of treating her of her sickness. Many nights he had gone without food… water… comfort. All so she could get better, so he could spin her around and see her beam at him once more as the picture of health.

And what did it all amount to? He was now working day to day, spilling the blood of others just for some pocket change, doing whatever possible to sustain himself. It was very rare that he ever even cracked a smile nowadays. The old Mike-the one who had never been seen with donning a smile-he was dead. Gods, Mikalus knew, she was turning in her grave.

"You already know my answer, Onyx," the blonde huffed. "I'm grateful for your consideration, but this is something I have to handle. No one else can."

He shook his head. "This will be my last assignment underneath that bald bastard."

"I'm sure it will be."

The two mercenaries whipped their heads a full 180 in response to the new third voice, and no later than that particular action, down came a man from the sky, parting the sand in his landing. It was Eric.

"Hello there you two," the young king greeted as his entourage pulled up next to him. "I was just strolling along and minding my own business when I suddenly came across the two of you, and a door that appeared out of nowhere." The Pandorian royal had a grin of maniacal grin and subdued anger just waiting to be unleashed on the poor saps. "Anyway, I was simply looking for a woman, unsure if you know her. Chon'sinese, chestnut hair, brown eyes, mother of my unborn child. Have you seen her around?"

Mikalus was having trouble forming an answer in his head, mainly due to paralysis out of sheer fear and terror for his life. However, if that wasn't terrible enough, Onyx exhibited the same feeling tenfold. Hell, he had actually pissed himself scared, if the dark spot spreading outward from his groin was any indication. Both of them recognized who it was they were dealing with and their eyes widened to sizes that dinner plates couldn't begin to compete with once they fully realized the weight of what it is they just committed to. Out of all of the jumbled thoughts running laps in their heads, both Onyx and Mikalus were able to come to a conclusion on a near telepathic level.

They just kidnapped and pawned off the pregnant baby mother of the Prince of War himself.

Mikalus was the first to spit out what could even be considered speech. "U-u-uh, I, um… well, you see here-" he managed to squawk out before he had a blade aimed at his face, literally inches away from piercing his skin.

Eric's grin fell to a frown of crippling, fear-mongering hatred. "You have five seconds to tell me where she is before I feed your carcass to the sea life."

"N-n-n-no! I-I don't have her with me!" Mikalus quickly stuttered. "S-she's been taken back to Pandora!"

"Back?" he questioned. "So you're from there?"

Looking to Onyx for support, Mikalus had deemed it a lost cause when the shorter mercenary had fainted on the spot with a single glare from Eric. "Yes, I am! That's the only reason this gate opened, my blood as a Pandorian is tied to it!"

The royal scoffed at the answer given as he lowered his blade, at least he was making this easy. "Thank you for letting me know everything I need."

Mikalus, now feeling like he was in the clear, managed to overcome his fear as he was able to take in a good look of Eric's features. One thing in particular that caught his attention was what was on Eric's forehead; the all too familiar triangular sigil adorned with crescents. As a result, the previous fear he was crippled by had been replaced by a feeling he had not come across in years.

Hope. Glee.

Hope that now he could finally seek the recompense he had sought for ever since he had lost everything due to the tyrant. And glee because he now had the means to help him do it.

Mikalus had shed a single tear, overcome with emotion. His face lit up like a Christmas tree, and as if it was a foreign concept to him, Mikalus cracked a smile with a clear hesitance, though it wasn't a terrible feeling.

"My lord…" Without a question or warning, the blonde merc dropped to his knees, hanging his head in what Eric figured had to be surprise; surprise of finally registering who he was talking to. "Thank you… thank you… so much…"

"Ughh…" The groggy groans of Onyx attracted the onlookers' attention. "Urm, Mike, uh, what's-Gaaah!"

"Quiet!" Mikalus growled as he pushed Onyx's face down into the sand, forcing him to bow. "This is the king! Show some respect!"

"What, he's not my king. I'm from Ferox."

Eric, meanwhile, had sighed sheepishly, trying to figure out what was going on. "Um… hey? What's going on? Also, you can get up, I don't expect you to bow before me."

Despite the protests, however, Mikalus never relented, even when Onyx did. "Lord Pandora…" he began, his voice now trembling slightly. "As you could already guess… yes. It was the both of us who aided in the kidnap of the Chon'sinese woman you know of."

Onyx kept throwing out signals to Eric silently, gesturing that he himself had no part in it, which the royal simply ignored. "However, we knew not why we did so. We only followed what was part of our contract."

Raven raised an eyebrow. "If that was the case, then why are you going back to Pandora?"

"We have yet to actually collect our bounty," Onyx chipped in. "The boss said he couldn't necessarily take out of the squadron's logistical funds, so he would provide us our reward once we got there, where he would have access to the full treasury."

"As I said before to my colleague here, this would be my last assignment underneath that blasted man," Mikalus said. "The only reason I even bothered to serve him was because it was an income. The contracts I was charged with were questionable at times, but this one crossed the line. I refuse to sell my soul or sword to someone so vile any longer. Especially when he has not an ounce of royal blood in him."

Mikalus bit back his more bitter feelings. "And then you came along. Lord Pandora… I expect no forgiveness for committing such a crime against you, and I accept any punishment you deem fit. However, I have been beneath his boot for far too long, I have lost everything to him: my sanity, my free will, my home… my sister. Shuyo… he is tearing apart everything our nation used to be, and I don't stand a chance on my own... You are the only one who can reverse the damage… so please, I beg of you…" Tears now flowed freely down Mikalus's face. "Please aid me in overthrowing Pandora's tyrant!"

Soft, yet harsh sobs could be heard throughout the vicinity; it was really the only sound that kept the area from complete silence. Even Onyx, the self-proclaimed merc with a mouth, had no words as he looked on at his partner, grovelling at the feet of another. The silence dragged on for a little bit until eventually, Eric put another crack in the ice. "So, I guess we're in business then."

Mikalus, a little stunned at that particular answer, rose his head and wiped the tears. "What?"

"We both have a common goal. You want your revenge against the bald fuck. I want my throne and my family back. Both happen to be accomplished by killing the same person," the prince grinned. "You need my help to take him on. I need the boat you used to get there. It seems pretty simple to me. You prove yourself stalwart in this task, and perhaps I may consider giving you far more than that cue ball ever could."

"Like a wage increase?" Onyx asked, hopeful.

"Don't push it," Mikalus and Eric responded, earning a fit of giggles from the girls. The prince offered his hand to the orchid mercenary. "Deal?"

Re-invigorated with a new purpose and goal, Mikalus decided that this would be it. This would be where he would toss aside all of his past grievances, his suffering, his agony… and walk into the next era anew. "Deal," he accepted confidently, taking the hand.

"Good." A clunking hand gestured to the doors. "After you, good sir."

The blonde sheepishly jumped. "O-Oh, right."

"Oi!" another voice called from atop a sand dune behind the gang. "Good thing we caught you just in time! Wouldn't want to be left behind. Trust me, you're going to need all the help you can get."

The Pandorian prince flashed a crooked grin. "I see you're late as always. Nonetheless, it's good to have you in attendance… Chrom."

* * *

 **FD: And we are done! I'm glad that we're finally getting into the good stuff, the meat of the SRA!**

 **Tychon: SRA, Draco?**

 **Lancer: The Say'ri Retrieval Arc!**

 **Tychon: O-oh. Aye, right. B-but what happened to the biweekly schedule? I'm certain everyone was expecting!**

 **FD: I don't think I mentioned any schedule. In fact, I think it was you who did so.**

 **Tychon: Oh right. Yes, I did again. Gomen.**

 **FD: Not to worry, my friend, I'm in a really good mood today! But now we have an interesting turn of events! As the Retrieval Squad get closer and closer to their destination, they meet a travelling duo by the names of Onyx and Mikalus. Now, they are merely a single step away from the point of no return, the only options being success or death. But there still remains some unanswered questions! What is it that Shuyo is planning with our prince's partner and child? What dangers lie ahead for our brave soldiers? Will FD stop narrating in his author's notes just to fulfil his word count quota? Find out next time on Dragon Ball Z! ...wait, shit, wrong series.**

 **Tychon/Lancer: Draco-baka...**


	13. Say'ri Retrieval Arc: Embark

**FD: *groans loudly in discontent***

 **Tychon: You okay, Draco?**

 **Lancer: You don't seem so good.**

 **FD: 20 hours of coding and editing…. and TOO much anime.**

 ***Calm Sightseeing plays as Lancer tips his hat* Lancer: Yare yare daze…**

 **Tychon: A-as much as I'm concerned for your wellbeing-your Computer Science teacher isn't all that lenient with you-I'm surprised you've put off this chapter for so long.**

 **FD: Well, that's a big part of why this took so long, as well as my own internal debate of whether or not I should continue this story. Lord knows I've been through the ins and outs of that confusion. Then again, I'm sure each writer has had that debate one time or another.**

 **In any case, I can't drag this on too much longer. Summer is coming. So without further ado, let's get on with our heroes!**

 **We own not a single thing!**

* * *

"It's good to have you in attendance… Chrom."

The sands scattered as per the wind's will, billowing relentlessly with a deafening howl. Here I thought the prince would have just left us to our own devices, as most who knew him well enough knew that he was very adamant on where he stood in any given situation. This led me to believe that he would have stayed back in Ylisstol, yet here he was. Moreover, with additional backup. Behind Chrom emerged eight figures over the dune the aforementioned prince stood upon: the muscleheaded fighter Vaike, the acute Miriel, the ginger rogue Gaius, the leporine warrior Panne, the loyal knight Frederick, the hallowed spectre Libra, the arcane mistress Tharja, and lastly, the Grandmaster Robin. Each of which were sporting some difference that I couldn't quite place. It could just also be due to the fact that I hadn't seen any of the other seven close to the battle with Gangrel, so I took it with a grain of salt and simply shrugged it off.

"And not just you… Frederick, Miriel, Vaike, Panne, Type 2" Gaius huffed in response to his alias "Robin, Tharja, Libra." A snort of amusement left my body. "Looks like the entire vanguard is here."

"Well, I would have brought more," Chrom began with a sigh. "But half of us Shepherds are out of country, and the capital can't be left completely unguarded. So needless to say… help is short."

"No matter," I dismissed with a wave. "Fifteen should be more than enough for us to press on."

The blonde mercenary's mouth was left agape. "F-fifteen? I don't think you understand the magnitude of our situation!"

"Eh?" I turned my head in attention to Mikalus's protest. "What do you mean?"

"Well, think about it! Am I really to expect and believe that we're to infiltrate and fight against the entirety of Pandora's forces with just fifteen of us?!"

"You didn't seem to consider that fact when it was just the six of us," I scoffed with a light laugh. "And besides, there exists a handful of us who can handle ourselves against an squadron or two at once. So no need to worry."

As if to accent my statement, along with making his presence known, Vaike pointed forward with his battleaxe. "Especially when ya got Teach and his powerful axe on your side, ready to wipe out the competition!"

Ah, Vaike. Obnoxiously loud as ever. "I see you're here, Vaike. I'm sure of it, yes. You've definitely gotten stronger since I last saw you."

The fighter rubbed his nose with a finger in pride of my acknowledgement, grinning from ear to ear. "Well, I can't just let you stand ahead of me; we are rivals after all!"

The prince, upon hearing those words leave Vaike's mouth, placed a hand on his hip, a smile forming on his face. "Hey, I thought _I_ was your rival. Or did you forget about that?"

"I can have more than one rival, ya know!" he barked. "There doesn't have to be a limit!"

"Enough," the maroon-headed mage interjected. "While I can't deny that this slight conclave of our peers is exceptionally emotive and heartwarming, we are at a particularly critical meridian, no?" She brushed the cover of her tome. "That _is_ the justification for our presence at this location. I imagine that time is not in great affluence."

"Miriel," I drawled. "Eloquent as ever. Still, you have a good point, we mustn't linger for much longer."

"Right, Lord Pandora," Mikalus nodded before turning his attention to the glowing door.

"Mike, was it?" I asked. "I have a name, you know. Not that you'd pay much heed to it anyway, but for insurance sake, my name's Eric."

The tall blond bowed in response. "Understood, milord."

I raised a finger in retort, but opted to let it fall, my response dying in my throat. Some just won't be swayed as easily. "Just… proceed."

The remaining thirteen of us stood behind the large blonde male as he reached out for the gate, grabbing a firm hold of the glowing doors' handles. The tension continued to build as Mikalus worked to separate the doors, but once he inched it closer to him, they swung open with the force of a raging hurricane on the other side of the frame. Everyone present braced themselves against the powerful surge, almost knocking over Mikalus in its wake. Onyx, on the other hand, was unable to keep what little footing he had, falling prey to the gale force winds that managed to carry him off and send him tumbling through the air. On reaction alone, I reached out and snatched him out of the air by the collar of his garb.

I threw Onyx back to his feet, staring directly into the bright, swirling blue and white void of the portal. "Everyone, brace yourselves. We'll be going into the heart of enemy territory. Some of the world's strongest and deadliest warriors will be at odds with us, so don't let down your guard. Not even for an instant."

"Milord?"

A number of heads turned to face the swordswoman. "Something you want to say, Raven?"

"I think there is something I must share with you all, so pay attention." She pulled her facial muscles into that of a stern and admonishing grimace. "What milord has mentioned is true: each and every battle will be some of the most difficult you will have ever come across, and such is bound to happen, especially when encroaching onto Pandorian soil. However, there exist a select few who you shall never cross, under any circumstance. These few are whom we call the God-Generals of Pandora. There are four of them in total, as well as my own and their lieutenants. Their lieutenants are very powerful and skilled, though I'm sure many of you can handle them all at your peak."

The words Raven gave set in a new sense of dread and panic in our ranks. "However, the God-Generals are unlike anything you have ever seen. Each of them possess incredible power. Power that almost matches Lord Pandora's."

Many pairs of eyes widened, jaws fell, and gasps escaped in processing this new information. Even Chrom grit his teeth in slight frustration, I could sense his apprehension. This wasn't good. Even though I recognize this as fact, and that Raven didn't want to sugar-coat things, this inflicted a substantial hit upon the group's morale. And yet, I couldn't say that it was an unreasonable reaction. Where it stood, as far as I knew considering our own motley crew, that would make only three of us even qualified to take on these veritable beasts of war. I just prayed that we kept as one group, or that we weren't attacked by more than three of the generals and/or their lieutenants. Or we'd be rightfully screwed.

"There exists a silver lining; these four Generals are still my subordinates," Raven began. "so there shouldn't be too much of a chance that we'd have to engage in combat with them, but in the case that we do… be prepared."

"That's right. Either way, this was never going to be a cakewalk. But now… just expect to die going in."

There was an ominous silence that followed my words, little more than the howls of the wind serving to fill the void. It was evident that the prospect of walking straight to death was taking their tolls on the resolve of each able-bodied man here. Eyes shifted and glances were exchanged between one another, confidence looking subpar at best by just a quick analysis. It also seemed like I wasn't the only one who noticed; Chrom could tell that this was going to shake up the unit if the dreaded thought continued to loom above us. Fortunately, I had an idea.

"On second thought, I'll go it alone."

A round of gasps sounded and many sets of surprised eyes fell upon me. However, my own eyes laid upon Chrom's blue ones. Then, as quickly as it met the prince's, my gaze darted to Raven, and finally, to Robin. Their gazes, unlike the rest, weren't of shock, but rather of realization and acknowledgement. As if to communicate to me that they understood what was going on.

"A-alone?" Cordelia questioned. "Listen, I know you're powerful and all, but making this a solo mission is suicide."

"I am well aware of that," I stated in response. "Naturally, Mikalus and Onyx have to pick up their pay, and Raven won't leave me alone no matter what I do, so there's that. The rest of you, however, you have no reason to risk your lives for someone else's cause. So there's no need for anyone other than the four of us to be here."

And yet again, another silence. This one much longer than the first. Five seconds. Ten. Twenty. It lasted for an eternity, it appeared. Each and every person looked like they wanted to say something, but they were all waiting for someone else to make the first move. I even could have sworn I heard an audible gulp carried across the winds.

Finally, a single voice gave a low growl. "Do you honestly think of us to be so weak willed?"

Now it was my turn to be surprised. Out of all that were present, the voice belonged to the last person I'd expect. It was Gaius.

The ginger scratched the back of his neck. "Now don't get me wrong, I'm not really down for sticking my neck out unnecessarily. And the sweet reward presented by Blue here is quite the nice incentive. However, even as a thief, I have my own code of honour. I don't turn my back on my friends. Even if my life is at stake. That risk comes with the gig anyway."

"Teach" then cracked a grin of his own. "Come on, don't give us that pegasus crap, Eric! We're part of the Shepherds, Ylisse's greatest fighting force! Kickin' ass is our specialty! If these so-called generals aren't just as powerful as you are like Raven said, then that means that the mighty Vaike can match 'em! No doubt about it!"

The mage adjusted her glasses, the ever-present glare reflecting off of her lens. "My word, it seems that our comrades-in-arms have been galvanized to rush headlong into combat. A foolish notion. And yet, somehow I am familiar with this resolve the other two have implicitly conveyed. The desire to grant support to those one calls "friends"."

"Haven't you ever been told not to make assumptions, Eric?" Robin chastised with a grin. "This isn't anything we haven't experienced before. We've been in tight spots and come out on top. This'll be no different. We're the Shepherds. We work as a team. You can count on us."

Those who hadn't said anything gave something in the way of agreement, whether it be a grunt or sound of committal, or a nod in affirmation. I gave my own affirmative hum, pleased with the integrity of the people I came to realize as my comrades. At least now we're going in hot with a will as strong as steel. "Well, then, what are you waiting for?" Chrom began. "It's your operation, so you call the shots."

"Aye." I gave him a nod before I turned back around, facing the light of the portal door. "Alright, everyone! To make sure we are all aware of our task, our mission: to rescue the kidnapped princess… And to liberate Pandora of its corruption! Say'ri Retrieval Squad, move out!"

A unanimous chant echoed in response. "Right!"

* * *

 **Narrator PoV**

"Ah… it's good to be back." The stout and shaven man strolled along with the large main hall of his domain, taking a long inhale of relief he had done in a long while. And honestly, he felt as though he deserved such. Everything was going in accordance to his design with minimal hitch, and who didn't enjoy it when a good plan went well? Any tyrant would swell with pride after essentially cementing themselves in the highest seat of power of arguably the strongest nation in the world. Without the true blood prince to stand in his way and his only potential heir in his possession to do as he wished, he stood virtually unopposed. Now his only concern was this civil war. Granted, Shuyo knew that he wasn't in the best of positions; his opponents were the majority of Pandora's most powerful forces, most concerning were the four Generals. Of course, he wasn't without his own muscle, he was sure that Luar was able to go toe-to-toe with at least one of the Generals when at his fullest.

However, he could deal with that at his leisure. For now, he would settle with a seat at the throne.

"Luar," the shiny-headed tyrant called as he held out a glass. "Pour me some chardonnay. I feel the need for some form of personal relaxant."

"Right away, sir." Not before long, Shuyo had his glass filled to the brim with wine, much to his contentment. After thanking his ebony-haired and slightly clumsy adjutant, he took a sip of the olive-tinted liquid, relishing in the feel of the substance running down his throat. He certainly hummed in enjoyment. Life is good.

"So Luar," Shuyo began, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "How's the lady doing?"

The braided man scratched at his cheek. "O-oh, sir… I'm humbled that you've asked… however, despite the occasional attention I garner from the opposite sex, I haven't actually court-"

"Not that, you fool," Shuyo interrupted with a roll of the eyes. "I meant the prisoner. The woman we procured."

Luar's shoulders slumped down in shame and disappointment. "R-right. Well, she had been extremely cranky as of late; she knocked out one of the prison guards when they brought her lunch."

Shuyo's eyes widened slightly. "But, she's behind bars…"

"Yeah…. It seems that she's developed a sort of bear-like ferocity; all it took was a single hit to put him down."

The two-and if one focused their hearing enough-could hear a feral, almost primitive snarling coming the dungeons, both men feeling a shiver run down their spinal columns. A sentiment that the two both shared as they gave their own inner thought at that moment, they had inadvertently agreed on one thing: women are a terrifying species.

Breaking the two out of their stupor, a rather hefty male with auburn hair stormed into the castle, his breaths laden with fatigue. He had a large blood red cape draped across his shoulders, falling all the way to his ankles. Underneath, he wore tar black plated armour, and in his hand, held a piece of paper bound by a ribbon. Shuyo laid eyes upon it, and the moment he did so, he felt a surge of anger rush through him. The reason: he identified this scroll as an instrument of surrender.

"Captain Radcliff…" Shuyo began, his voice trying to repress a strained growl. "What is the meaning of this? You'd better have a good reason for not only barging into the main hall, but for leaving your post as well."

"My liege, pardon me on both counts," the larger man responded. "However, I come with a message from our forces in Katal. I am sorry to say it… but given the contents of the scroll, it would seem that our front meant to lay siege to Katal… well, it would be best for you to read it for yourself."

Rising from his seat, the bald man snatched the parchment out of Radcliff's hands. His eyes, darting over the paper at record speeds, seemed to hide any and all emotion as he read the document. This was a problem, as the further Shuyo continued, the more and more terrified Luar and Radcliff became, the atmosphere and suspense growing heavier and heavier with every gruesome second passed. Eventually, after what seemed like an eternity, the short man let the page fall to his side before instantly rending the document to a crisp. Not even a single legible piece remained as the ashes scattered at his feet.

"You know," Shuyo sighed. "I'm starting to think that my people don't understand what it is I pay them for."

"My liege, you don't pay us." Radcliff cursed himself internally. If he was going to die at some point, he'd rather it not be due to his inability to keep a leash on his tongue.

"Allow them to live for," the bald man corrected himself, much to the astonishment of Radcliff. "First we lose El Sol to that ruffian Lugiel, then we barely put up a fight at Barceis Pass enough to reach a stalemate, and now we've lost the battle for Katal as well? I'm sorry, but if this nonsense goes any further south, I'll be looking up at the bottom before long."

"My liege, we are doing all we can," Radcliff replied with a slight tremor in his voice. "I'd like to remind you that the battle for the northern border of Katal was headed by the Black Wolf, Regulus Naga."

"Is that so?" Shuyo's face changed into an impassive, blank glare, hiding his inner intentions once again. It would seem that Radcliff was none the wiser, but Luar knew. Luar knew that when the boss had that particular look in his eyes, something was going to happen. And it was never a good thing.

"Doorkeeper, would you come here quickly?" His voice then dropped to a sinister octave. "I need an example."

Almost immediately, a lance-wielding soldier rushed to kneel to Shuyo next to Radcliff. "Officer Landis, reporting, sir! An example of what, Your Hi-AHHHHHHH!"

The doorkeeper couldn't even finish his question before his body erupted into flames; despite his writhing and rolling on the ground, the fire would continue to erode his frame until he was little more than a charred, lifeless husk. Luar turned away from the cruel act of violence while Radcliff stared at the blackened carcass with eyes widened in fear, his heart beating a million times a minute. He slowly turned his gaze back to the short, bald-headed man, yet all that continued to run through his mind was that it could have been him, screaming in agony as the flames consumed him.

"I do not care who stands in your way, even if it should be Releos himself, that damned glorified lizard of a god. Hell, I do not care if Naga herself stood in your way," he barked. "You are of the Pandorian Imperial Guard I enacted, understood? And as such, I expect that no one beneath my rule is to fall to anyone: no exception. If you are Pandorian as you claim, you must behave as such on the battlefield."

Radcliff could do nothing except bow his head. "U-understood. I'll see to it that this does not happen again. In fact, would you approve of my squadron to lead another assault on the Black Wolf's forces?"

Just as Shuyo opened his mouth to speak, he suddenly felt a ripple reverberate through his entire being, nearly freezing him in spot as it ran from his head to his feet. However, it wasn't necessarily the fact that someone had been able to enter the hidden space that Pandora sat upon. No, it was rather WHO entered. Shuyo recognized the number of signatures that entered the space. Eight, nine, ten… fifteen. Fifteen in total. But the biggest concern were, again, who they belonged to. Out of the fifteen, there were four that stood above the rest. One of the four were powerful, but was the weakest of the top four. Another one was extremely strong, but wasn't one that he recognized. But the remaining two… Shuyo knew who they belonged to, which made him grind his teeth in frustration. There's no way he could had survived, he thought. He tightened his fist. "The barrier has been breached."

"My… my liege?"

"Radcliff, on second thought, hold back on that thought. Fortify your troops and wait until further orders." Without intention nor warning, the bald man crushed the glass he had been drinking from in his hand, alerting Luar and Radcliff. "Relay this message to all forces, we are not to engage the rebellion for now."

Once the large caped man was dismissed, Luar gave the wine to a servant to put away. "Sir, is something the matter?"

"We have some uninvited guests, it would seem." The bald headed man tilted his head upwards. "And, surprisingly, these guests are of bigger concern."

* * *

In his own private quarters in which he had established to hold the border, Regulus had spent his time doing what he did best outside of warfare: Research and Development. Anyone who knew the Black Wolf was aware that he was always developing new technology or magic, which was a big reason why the Pandorian armies had such fearsome muscle behind them. It was always a humorous sight-though he himself may be oblivious-to see him wearing safety goggles for some reason, an action that would otherwise be considered mundane. Currently, the masked man held a vial of transparent blue liquid, eyeing the contents as he swirled it around, perhaps intending to activate the contents of the substance or to prompt it to do something.

"Commander Raven… it's approximately that time," Regulus commented. "I'm sure that the amount I gave her has just about run its course… it's been what, a year and a half, perhaps two?" He pondered the specifics of the compound he had allocated to his superior before dismissing his thoughts and returning back to work. "Hmm, no matter. I suppose she'll want more when she gets back."

He held the vial as delicately as he could between his forefinger and thumb, ready to pour the contents into a beaker he had prepared with a murky green substance in. However, he came to a grinding halt once he came to realize something was off. A strong ripple flowed through his body, upsetting the otherwise still and stagnant liquid in the beaker he had set up. What's more, he detected many unfamiliar life forces far away, coming from the westward direction.

Regulus furrowed his brow as he removed his goggles. "What is that I'm sensing? Could it be…? No, that can't be the Commander… She said she'd be returning with the true king. There wouldn't be this many signatures if it were her."

The scientist closed his eyes in concentration, discarding all other remaining thoughts as he zeroed in on the flickering signs of life. Upon further inspection, he came to realize there were fifteen of them, none of whom he was familiar with… except one. "No, I wasn't mistaken, there's no chance that I'd misidentify her flame. That's definitely the Commander. But then… who do the rest belong to? What could this mean..." This brought up a number of different questions that he wanted answers to, but he would have to find those answers another time. "Whatever the outcome, I'll have to let the other three know." Quickly, he scribbled on a piece of parchment paper before loading it up on his pet eagle, ready for take off. Regulus had no idea what was going to go down, but he knew he didn't like it. Call him a coward or whatever you wish, but he was a man of absolutes; he didn't like to leave questions unanswered. "I know she is among them, and as unlikely as it may be… it is still possible she could have been abducted or captured. Just for precautionary measures… I'll send out a capture on sight notice for the rest of them. We've already a mess with that Napoleonic menace, this is the last thing we need."

* * *

 **Eric PoV**

Once we entered the portal, though I could not place a finger on what it was, I could feel a wave wash over my body. Perhaps that was the sign that we had breached the barrier, ready to cross over. One of the main differences, however, was that the air above us was slightly darker and distorted in such a way that almost made a sort of tunnel-like structure hanging above our heads. Another remarkable point of the surrounding area, which was not present on the outside, was a long walkway made of, oddly enough, stone. Eh, not important. What was important, however, was the vessel that awaited us at the end. This must have been the exact method Mikalus used to get to the Ylissean continent.

"Interesting," I remarked. "Now how do we get everyone and everything on? What, do you have some sort of sturdy plank or something?"

Mikalus sported a light-hearted grin. "Nope, just watch." The blonde walked up to the edge of the walkway, with Onyx standing right next to him. The two stood relatively still, waiting patiently as the wind picked up around them. As the small gust swirled around each of their forms, the wind carried with it golden runes that most familiarized with the use of magic. I was blown away-figuratively-as the two were surrounded by magical runes before they clapped their hands together and placed them on the ground in front of them. "Earth Element: Mobile Terrain!" they called in unison.

Suddenly, the ground beneath us began to tremor slightly, catching some of us off guard as we fought to keep our balance. By the time most of us found our footing again, we looked forward to see a staircase made of stone, along with a grinning Mikalus and somewhat fatigued Onyx.

"Wow," I exclaimed with raised brows. "Never knew that you knew earth magic. 'Tis not a common medium I often see."

The tall dirty blonde scratched the back of his head bashfully. "Well, it is kinda rare around these parts… and often used for utility purposes more than anything… it helps from time to time though."

I nodded it off with a shrug, my attention focused more on getting everything on board. Which, if we were being truthful, wasn't all that much of a challenge. My four-man squad brought only what we could carry and all our gold. Mikalus and Onyx didn't look like they had any more than what was on their person or in their packs. The only outlier to this fact was Chrom, which was understandable when one considers that the prince brought eight Shepherds with him. It was still enough of a group that a cart was necessary to hold all of their camp belongings. Speaking of which, the fact that Mikalus made stone stairs was convenient for everything… except for the cart that Chrom came with. That had to be lifted into the vessel, but in the presence of men like Frederick, Chrom, Mikalus, and I… we simply watched in the slightest bit of awe and shock as we watched Raven heft the carriage above her head and carefully chuck it onto the deck.

"Okay, everybody ready?" she chirped, ignoring all the mouth she left agape as she hopped up on board. "All gear is on deck. Sound off!" she called, prompting us to alert her that we are present.

"Eric. Ready."

"Cordelia, at the ready."

"Chrom. Ready."

"Olivia, r-ready."

"Frederick. I am prepared."

"The Vaike is ready and raring to go!"

"Gaius the Nimble, ready when you are."

"Robin. I'm ready."

"Tharja. Whatever."

"Miriel. I am primed."

"Libra. Let us make haste."

"Panne. On your mark."

"Mike. I'm on board."

"Onyx. Not rea-wait, no, I change my answer."

Raven smiled sagely. "And with me, that makes all fourteen accounted for. Mikalus, if you would please…"

With a nod, Mikalus walked over to the bow on starboard side and took hold of the chain that hung over the railing all the way down into the waters below. Once he began pulling, one could see the effort it took him to move such a piece of metal. Veins began to bulge on the surface of his skin as Mikalus tightened his grip and pulled with strained growls of effort. Eventually, he started making progress; with each pull, Mikalus dragged the heavy piece of solid metal up from the waters, each chain link slamming against the deck. Finally, Mikalus pulled up the actual anchor itself on deck, making sure not to smash the wooden surface as he placed it down.

"Looks like someone's been hitting the weights, eh?" Onyx commented, alluding to his accomplices strength.

Mikalus clapped the specks of rusty iron residue off of his hands. "Yeah, and if you exercised your muscles more often than your mouth, you would be able to do things of the same make as I just did."

"Oh, shut up." Onyx shook his head and said nothing more as he launched himself up the mast like a monkey, climbing the vertical structure with extreme agility. The sleek mercenary ascended until he reached the sails, a single tug of the ropes was all it took for the sails to unravel. The cloth swayed ever so gently in the eastward direction, bringing a smirk to Mikalus's face as he took the helm. "Ah, looks like we're working with a tailwind. If this persists, I suspect we'll make it to the western Pandorian seas in two days' time."

The boat began to rock slightly in the waves away from the walkway. Once given enough distance, Mikalus spun the wheel to the right hard, turning the boat and directing it out to sea. "Hold," Miriel began. "From what I have been able to discover, our colleague's nation is several thousands of kilometres away from our own easternmost coast. Such an endeavor of maritime transport couldn't be embarked upon within two weeks of straight sailing, much less two days."

Raven dragged a delicate hand across the polished wooden railing of the boat. "For a normal trip, that would be the case. However, keep in mind that in all technicality, we are in a separate space. One that is not inherently different than the rest of the world, but has enough key differences that keep it from being one in the same with neighbouring continents such as Ylisse for example."

The swordswoman lifted a single finger. "One such example is the relative space itself."

"Ah. You speak of travel distance."

"Right," Raven answered. "Mainly in place for convenience sake, the simplest way to put it to words… it's akin to the sense of taking something and compressing it. Realistically, it's the same thing, just much shorter. In this space, what would normally take weeks can be accomplished in days."

The scholar adjusted her glasses. "A complete manipulation of time and space. Fascinating. Perhaps with the exalt's permission, I would be granted to journey abroad to study such a magnificent phenomenon."

"Duly noted."

It had only been a handful of the full gang, but with the fifteen of us spending our time socializing and spending time with one another, it still garnered some level of nostalgia that was not lost on me. Except, of course with new friends. Onyx, being the talkative person he is, tried his hand at making small talk with the Shepherds, who were fairly wary of the ebony-clad mercenary once they came to realize that he was part of the reason we were to go save Say'ri. Yet, as how it often it tended to go, the comradery and candidity of the Shepherds soon brought Onyx into the group with open arms. It also helped that many of them also came to the conclusion that he was only doing his job, figuring that a guy has to make a living somehow.

As minutes turned to hours, chatter and laughter ran rampant abroad the deck while everyone still kept to their other unofficial duties. Mikalus, having spent a couple of hours at the helm, simply looked on with a smile seeing the gang interact with one another. Each of different status, ethnicity, and upbringing. None of that mattered, however. And for that, Mikalus felt a certain blossom of happiness.

"I'll take over for now."

The blonde's attention was snapped back to Earth, namely towards a raven-haired swordswoman. "I beg your pardon?"

"You've been at the helm for hours, you deserve a break," she said as she gave a closed-eye smile. "I know the way just as you do."

In a moment of uncertainty, Mikalus cocked an eyebrow and showed some resistance, however brief. No matter what, though, Raven's relentless insistence of kindness ultimately prompted Mikalus to step down from the helm, the swordswoman taking his place. However, as fun as it was watching the lightweight ginger scarecrow I called my friend evicting his own guts of any food and/or sugar he had previously downed, I felt kind of lazy, and with nothing but the serene and wide expanse of blue ahead of me, I decided there would be nothing better to do than to take position in the crow's nest, and nap. After I closed my eyes, darkness embraced me before long.

After I had woken up from my nap, the sun had already began to set. Again I had seen Mikalus take back the helm once more as we pushed forward. Evening slowly transformed into night on the seas, with each of the crew making their way to their quarters as the night fell. I, however, was one exception. While everyone, except for whoever was at the helm at the time, laid themselves to rest in the lower decks, I stayed out, admiring the reflection of moonlight shimmering on the ocean's surface. The pitch black void of the sky as it hung above me, was illuminated by a breathtaking cluster of stars, as if performing a lightshow as far as the eye could see.

How long had I been out here for? Hours, that would have been my guess. I couldn't remember how long it had been since I leaned up against the bow railing just to stare out into the endless expanse before me.

"Can't sleep, hmm?" I turned around to see the voice belonged to Cordelia.

I leaned my back against the rail. "Yeah… been out here for hours. Stars are pretty, aren't they?"

The pegasus knight tilted her gaze upward. "They are." The redhead inched closer and closer towards me until she was right next to me. "Copper for your thoughts?"

I gave her a cryptic sigh in response. "It's been a long time."

"How long has it been since you've been home?"

"Believe me, I've made visits in secret before," I answered. "Just to see how things have been changing and evolving. Last visit was in six years or so."

Her hair was picked up by the wind, and by the moonlight glistening off of her ruby strands, I knew she took great care of it all. A mesmerizing sight. "It won't be just a visit this time. You'll be going home for good."

I closed my eyes, the corners of my mouth tugging themselves into a grin. "At least I hope so."

Cordelia frowned at the grin I had on my face; no doubt she could tell the expression I had was less so amusement and more so one of self-deprecation. "What, you think you won't be accepted? Come on, now, it's been years. No one is going to hold such a petty grudge for so long."

""Oh, welcome, wandering vagabond! We remember you, Eric: you were the one responsible for the deaths of our previous king and queen!"" I said, sarcasm dripping off of my words, much to Cordelia's displeasure. ""What's more, underneath unforeseen circumstances, you abandoned us and left a tyrant with a Napoleon complex to take the throne and have him grind us beneath our bootheel! What's that? Of course you can take the throne and rule, especially with your lack of experience and teaching! I'm sure it'll be okay!""

The pegasus knight scoffed. "Okay, okay, I get your concern. No need for the sarcasm."

"Hell, I'd be lucky if they'd let me even come back."

I felt a hand grab the back of my head, after following the limb, I trailed it back to my redheaded companion, who pulled me in close and pressed her forehead to mine. "Look. I understand your concern, I get your fear. However, blunt as I may sound, you are scared of something that does not yet or may not ever exist. And even if it did; whether you live in a castle or underneath a bridge after the fact, I'll tell you the same thing I told you before: I'd be there with you, no matter what. Every step of the way."

Gods damn her charm. I don't know what it was about her, but she just always knew what to say to make everything better. Such is love, I guess. "Thanks Cherry. I needed that."

"Yes you did," she giggled. "Now then, will you please come to bed?"

I blinked. "Cherry, there are nothing but hammocks in the lower decks."

She shook her head with a derisive snort of amusement. "Okay, then will you please come to 'hammock'?"

"Ha, ha. Okay."

* * *

"Urrrrrgh!"

I closed my eyes with a gut wrenching feeling as I heard Gaius throw up yet again. I don't know what it was about the sea, but it just rubbed the thief the wrong kind of way. "Gaius, come on, it's been two days. Can you please keep your food INSIDE your stomach long enough to keep yourself alive?"

The thief washed his mouth with the canteen of water he had on hand. "I haven't had anything to eat… all morning. S'just nothing but bile now."

I sighed. "Well, maybe if you ate food of actual sustenance rather than candy and sweets all the time, your body wouldn't be so frail on the sea."

In lieu of a verbal response, Gaius simply settled with flipping me the bird, trying his hardest to keep his stomach stable. He walked over-walking being a very generous term, it was more accurate to say that he hobbled over-to Mikalus at the helm ad grabbed him by the sleeve and collar with desperation in his eyes. "I swear on my life, I'm going crazy. Ahead of us, I'm starting to see the waves twisting and bending. For the love of all things holy, WHEN WILL WE GET OFF THIS THING?!"

"You're not hallucinating, Type 2," I commented. "In fact, I think I see the waves bending and twisting too."

Mikalus growled in irritation as he shrugged off the ginger. "We're almost there. Give it a rest. And everyone… please hold onto something."

I gave order for everyone to grab their gear, as we needed to be prepared as we crossed into Pandorian territory. Surely enough, we continued onward towards the distorting waters, and once we crossed a certain event horizon, the boat gradually began to pick up speed. Just as Mikalus ordered, everyone grabbed onto part of the structure to stabilize. Even still, however, Gaius was unable to keep himself sane with the vertigo he was experiencing. "Oh gods, everything is moving faster…!"

Soon enough, we accelerated so quickly that eventually, we no longer heard the splashing and sloshing of water beneath us, which was soon followed by the surrounding area transforming into a bright white expanse of light. Most of us were surprised, but for those like Mikalus and Raven, this was familiar and had happened before. "We're crossing over, everyone! We need to-"

Suddenly, an explosion from the stern rocked the vessel forward, nearly causing everyone to lose balance. Mere surprise soon turned to fear and shock as now it registered in our heads that something wasn't right. "Damn it!"

"What's going on?!" I called. "I'm pretty sure that this isn't part of the process!"

"It's not," Mikalus huffed. "I don't know what the hell is happening, but I know for a fact we're in a dangerous spot."

Another explosion reverberated through the ship, ripping apart and splintering the wooden hull of the vessel. Something needed to be done and quickly, or else we'd all die before we even get to the shores. To make matters worse, the moment we got visual, the chances of us surviving dropped exponentially. The light cleared, showing us that we were no longer on the seas risking drowning. We were in the sky, looking down on the vast, mountainous country of Pandora, meaning that we now risked death by falling as well as drowning. Just great.

I grit my teeth. "Raven, Tharja, Miriel, Libra! I need barriers!"

"The ship is full of holes!" Robin argued. "Landing this ship is pointless!"

"Forget the ship! Grab who you can and erect a barrier as strong as you can hold it!" Raven rushed quickly to my side, halting immediately once I held up my hand. "I'll be able to handle myself, Raven, thanks. Get the others some help."

In the short amount of time we had, Libra was able to erect a barrier for Panne, Chrom, Frederick and himself; Tharja got one up for Miriel, Mikalus, Onyx, and herself; Raven protected herself, Olivia, Cordelia, and Gaius, and I managed to get one up for myself, Vaike, and Robin.

"This part take more concentration so be very careful: expand the barriers so they overlap." Without question or argument, each of the four tasked with the protection of the rest of us carefully enlarged our forcefields, soon encompassing Mei Ling as well as Cordelia's mount. While we weren't out of the woods by any means, at least the mental strain from maintaining the barriers was diminished. "Hold position!" I called. "We have to keep it up no matter what, wait for my next in-"

A third and final explosion shook the deck as the vessel exploded, launching all of us off into the air. And now with our plan gone to shit, we had to leave nearly all of this up to chance. Our forcefield, which was once one solid shield, now tore apart, separating us into smaller groups within barriers; exactly what I was afraid of when we were going in. The world continued to tumble around in my vision as I was in freefall, unable to process my surrounding to a coherent degree as we all plummeted to the earth below. All I could process were the screams and shouts of terror of my comrades during the fall.

* * *

 **Tychon: Oh no! Cordelia, please no!**

 **Lancer: Oh no, indeed. Our heroes are now in danger as they are falling straight to their potential deaths. I am surprised you have such a concern for our redheaded knight, I didn't know you cared for her so much.**

 **Tychon: Of course I do! If C-Cordelia dies, then Severa will never be born, a-and-**

 **FD: That explains a lot.**

 **Tychon: W-what? S-she's just a good… a good friend. Unfortunately, she doesn't exist yet…**

 **FD: Well, as we see it right now, the confirmation of our protagonists' deaths do not exist either, so do not fret. We shall get our answers, however, next time. Fell Dragonite and the Dragons out!**


	14. Say'ri Retrieval Arc: Infiltrate

**FD: Okay… so apologies for the long wait for a chapter, and it's probably going to come out as crap anyway. Look, over the course of this year, I've been going through a lot of change, and not much of it is of any good. Hmm…**

 **To start, my personal life has really been kicking me as of late; work has become increasingly scarce, my girlfriend of two years and I separated two months ago, my family is barely getting by with enough money to eat, and I've been in a ever-growing pit of depression that only seems to be getting deeper. And most recently, one of my friends who I knew from wrestling, my damn teammate… he was murdered. Unfortunately, all of this, especially the stuff with my girlfriend, has left me drained in just about every sense of the word, and I have resorted to doing things I am far FAR from proud of, and have needed mental help to get resolved. I feel little to no motivation to do anything really. I've lost motivation to do work in school(thank Naga I had some of the EASIEST courses on the planet this past school semester), I've lost motivation to talk to others like I usually do. I've lost motivation in life, to put it bluntly. And probably most fitting to this, I've lost motivation to continue writing, period.**

 **Now, I see the potential in the story and it could come out to become something great but as it is, it feels like more of a chore than anything else. Not to mention, all of maybe four people really even read this thing, which kind of kicks morale right in the gut. That said, I will still continue this story to its conclusion. And perhaps tweak it a year or so after the fact to polish it up once I've found myself out of my life's depression again.**

 **And finally… without consulting anyone, I shelled out for a new intro. Kick it.**

* * *

" **The Day" by Porno Graffiti (Boku no Hero Academia OP1)**

 **(Intro)**

The camera flickers over various areas of Eric's body bathed in light: his legs, his belt, his arm, and then his chest. Quickly, his sword is seen taken from the its spot in the ground before his cape, swipes across the camera.

 **(Shizukesa ga shimikomu you de iki wo tometa gozen goji**

 **Hijou kaidan de tsume wo kamu asu wa docchi da? THE DAY HAS COME!)**

The scene shows Eric looking out into the sky on a cliff from a bird's eye view perspective, then one of a closer side profile with a wistful expression on his face as he grips his blade tensely. As if brought out of his thought, he jumps when he feels a hand touch his left shoulder, belonging to Raven. Eric grins at her before Chrom walks on his right side, punching his own palm. The three draw their blades and lock them with another's before raising their blades up high. The camera follows the blades' ascent until only the sky is in frame. The title of Fire Emblem: Decisions slowly fades into frame as it shrinks and becomes less transparent.

 **(Keshite akenai yoru mo, furitsuzukete yamanai ame mo**

 **Kono roku demo nai sekai ni wa arunda yo)**

The Pandorian royal is walking down a dirt path with his blade on his shoulder, casually walking past an entire squadron laid to waste in his wake. Once he comes across a tree that has lost all its leaves, one sees a silhouette of boots standing on one of its bare branches. Eric looks up and is greeted by a red-clad figure wearing a mask. His coat billows in the wind as he reaches behind him and grips his sword. The camera shows Eric's mouth initially open in slight surprise slowly become a grin of anticipation.

 **(Sukoshi mo hen de wa nai no madoromi ni ashi wo torareteru**

 **Anata wo semeteiru wake janai da yo)**

Facing the left, Raven is walking in spot in front of a mountainous backdrop with horizontal white bars, behind her are images of her Generals who each show up one by one in order of Lugiel, Regulus, Reo, and Zeno; each of them with a grin on their face bar Regulus. The next scene shows the four Generals' figures slide quickly from the top into frame, then change from the previous background to a dirt field, where the four Generals are standing in front of their lieutenants. A split screen shows the four looking forward with a look of determination and willpower before a hand waves, sending the four generals forward.

 **(Hitori kuusou ni asobu**

 **soko de omoi egaita koto made hajiru no kai?)**

Say'ri has her hands clasped together as she sits in a seiza position in front of an ominous purple background. The camera zooms out and shows her sitting in the palm of Shuyo, who looks down at the smaller woman with an evil grin. Zooming out even further, behind Shuyo is a large pair of hazel eyes that open up briefly and then close once again. Shuyo balls his hand into a fist and swings his hand out, changing the purple background into a high plateau, where his adjutant Luar is standing by him in front of an entire battalion of troops led by a handful of his captains. Shuyo's forces look down on the fifteen intent on rescuing Say'ri. Without words, Chrom nods at Robin and then bumps his fist against Eric's.

 **(Karamiau meikyuu meikyuu, soredemo yuku to iu no?)**

Miriel fires a torrent of fire that consumes a number of enemy soldiers, and Vaike immediately jumps out of said flames to smash a shield with a hammer. Robin opens his tome, pages flipping quickly, and is surrounded by golden magic runes before the scene instantly shifts to Cordelia, taking off on her pegasus and zooming out into the sky.

 **(Chiisaki tabibito ga kanaderu hajimari no kane no ne)**

The camera shows a lone woman with pigtails beneath the moon, then an image of the woman's face on the left side of the scene in the sky in side profile. She brings a hand up and removes her mask to reveal a young, emotionless face. Next, Mikalus is trying to get to his feet using his sword as a cane. Blood spilling down his chin, the camera shifts to a closer shot of Mikalus gritting his teeth and flashing a smile.

 **(Yukuate mo DON'T KNOW DON'T KNOW, hontou wa kowai'n ja nai no?**

 **Fumidasu sono ippo ippo ga kaete yukeru sa THE DAY HAS COME!)**

From a bird's eye view, three arrows of light rush forward and weave in between one another; one is red, the middle is purple, and the final one is blue. The camera slowly moves to the front of the arrows, showing Raven, Eric, and Chrom respectively charging into battle with immense speed, weapons drawn and wearing their war faces. The camera zooms over to show a close up of a taller and bigger Shuyo with red eyes and black sclera grinning at them before it gets so close, the reflection of the three warriors can be seen in the bald man's eye; this clip is then frozen in place.

 **(Outro)**

Cordelia and Olivia, Vaike and Miriel, Gaius, Panne, and Libra, Robin and Tharja, Frederick, Mikalus and Onyx, and finally Chrom, Eric, and Raven all pose with their respective weapons ready, each group in their own respectively clip in tune with the guitar riff. The opening ends with the full fifteen standing in frame.

* * *

 **Eric PoV**

How long had it been in reality? A couple minutes? An hour? Or perhaps even a day? I knew not for sure, but surprisingly, after what seemed to me like only but a moment, I could process that I was conscious at last. I could feel the pain ripple through my head, growing in intensity the more my consciousness came to me. How this came to happen, I wasn't certain. A quick search of the inner confines of my memory unearthed a helpful detail: the crash. Not as clear as I would have preferred, but I could discern that we were falling out of the sky like a meteorite. The perpetual whirl, shifting colours of white and blue, both dark and light. And then all of a sudden… it stopped. Everything in an instant just went to black. From that point forward to now, my memory failed me.

I blinked a couple of times with hesitance, wincing at the intensity of the light that invaded my retinas. Gods above, I prayed it wasn't yet another concussion. As if I didn't already have enough problems. My muscles, while with a bit of struggle, managed to get me to a sitting position so that I could see what it was that was around me. A sudden sharp sensation ripped through my midsection, prompting me to clasp a hand over the area in response. The hand that rose up made contact with a piece of splintered wood, stained red from the contents of my body.

Without a word, I hissed sharply as I removed the plank from my torso and discarded it. It hadn't been too deeply embedded, but it certainly would amount to tremendous blood loss if I had left it unattended. Thus I would prioritize finding something to halt the bleeding. I took only a single look around, and my eyes widened in surprise once they processed the fact that there were two other unfortunate souls who fell along with me. The two figures were of one male and one female. The male had white hair and wore a thick dark cloak while the female wore thin, translucent robes. "Robin," I muttered. "Tharja…"

Removing my sword from my belt, I planted it into the ground to pull myself to my feet. I could feel my frame wobbling on two feet, but I righted myself quickly enough. Their bodies were still, their breathing even. That brought me a sigh of relief, at least they were only unconscious. Once the relief had its effect, I observed that there were a number of objects strewn across the area: namely Tharja's collection of magical tomes, as well as Robin's Arcthunder and his silver sword. However, in addition, I took in our terrain around us. The surrounding land, apart from rock formations, plateaus and the large, forest-laden trees off in the distance, the three of us were next to a dirt pathway, essentially out in the open in enemy territory.

"We must be in the province of DeLeon, if I can recall," I remarked, placing the weapon back in my belt. "Either that or Katal." Not a moment after the words left my mouth, I picked up the sound of footsteps. They weren't just any footsteps, I reckoned. They were… heavy. And irregular. Judging from the sheer weight the sounds conveyed, these were more likely soldiers than your average merchant. There had to be quite a number of people approaching, not to mention. And they weren't too far from here.

"I think the sound came from over here." Shit. I can't take them down with my wounds, as well as with unconscious comrades. I had to think fast. In my case… the word "think" was rather subjective here, as the only plan that came to mind wasn't a good one. Quickly, I took a fistful of Tharja's collar and I tucked Robin beneath the crook of the same arm, the adrenaline in my veins leaving me ignorant of the pain that shook my core. I ran across the pathway and dove down the other side, barely catching the three of us on a natural alcove as we hung from the steep incline out of sight. My muscles burned as I struggled to keep us from falling, and it only seemed to intensify once I recognized that the steps got louder and louder, then immediately stopped.

Go away, my mind screamed. I stared up at the fleeting clouds, silently and desperately hoping that their presence would fade off into the distance for who knows how long. My fingers, as much as I'd wished against it, they seemed to be slipping from the rocky surface. In order to keep our trio alive, however, I redoubled my grip and managed a stable setting. I cursed my inability to use flight in this situation, it would have made it so much easier. The problem with it was that it utilized wind magic, magic that no doubt would have detected by these soldiers. I remembered Raven telling me that it was standard issue for Pandorian militants to be able to sense magic.

From that note, my mind wandered to Raven. While I still had concern for the dark-haired mistress of death, I knew that if anyone were to be okay, it was Raven. That said, I couldn't say I felt the same about the others. Even Chrom was a big maybe.

Eventually, I turned my head back up to the cliff, the diminuendo of footsteps music to my ears. I almost let out a reflexive sigh of relief, but I caught myself, instead opting for a more silent fall of the head. Now I had to get the three of us out of this predicament.

"Urgh… damn it." I had both hands full: one to hold the cliffside, and one to hold Robin and Tharja. I wracked my brain to find any potential way to get the unconscious pair up onto the alcove safely, only reaching one potential idea. Carefully, I guided the dark mage's body in between my legs and wrapped them around her lithe form, holding her stable and freeing my hand. Now I could grasp Robin by the shirt and haul him up into the indent in the cliffside. The heavy bastard, that he was.

"Good. Now her," I muttered, grabbing Tharja by her collar and doing the same to her. Once I threw her up, I took hold of the ledge with both hands and climbed my way up with the unconscious duo, rolling onto my back and laying spread eagle on the cool stone bottom. I let my head fall to the side facing the opening, immediately reminded of the other pressing matter I had to deal with. A thin smear of blood along with the rippling, albeit somewhat subsided pain reminded me of the wound I was afflicted. Though it had decreased, I still had to stop the bleeding somehow. Without a second thought, I ransacked Robin's coat to come across a piece of cloth. It was rather thick-and unfortunately-white. Sorry Robin.

I pressed the cloth to my wound, watching the red liquid seep through the material. It wasn't enough.

A grimace appeared on my face and I let a sigh of exasperation leave me. Then again, I shouldn't have expected any less. It did hit just below the liver after all.

With a miniscule bit of fire magic-the smallest I could manage keeping concealed while still being effective-I rose the temperature of my metal arm, the limb glowing only the slightest bit red. I wasn't the best with precise magical control, admittedly, but hey, I was working on it. I had to keep myself silenced with the cloth the best I could as I placed the metal to my would, struggling as I gurgled out a series of guttural groans in pain. The blistering metal sizzled away, fortunately slowing the bleeding to a complete stop before long.

"Crisis averted," I sighed before dragging myself to the wall, laying up against it. "Now I just have to wait for the two to wake up." I closed my eyes and focused my breathing. What came to form an image was not the perpetual blackness I had expected, but rather a number of flickering flames. All of which were roughly the same size, none too extraordinary, and were spread out across the general vicinity.

"They're investigating the area," I surmised. "So they know we're here."

A pair of moans and the shuffling of clothing prompted me to turn my head towards the source, discovering that the Ylissean tactician and the Plegian dark mage had finally come to. Tharja held her head like she had the meanest of hangovers, while Robin rubbed away at his eye with his palm, like he had woken up for the first time in days. "Oww… what happened…?"

I placed a finger to my lips in urgency. "Keep your voices down and focus of suppressing your magic. I didn't risk plummeting to certain death so that you could blow our cover."

The platinum-blond narrowed his eyes. "Mind telling us where we are?" he asked in a whisper.

I cut off the magical flow to my metal arm, letting it gradually cool. "I have good news and bad news. The good news is that we've landed in Pandora, I am certain of it."

"And the bad news?"

I frowned, typing the borrowed fabric around my forehead. "As you can see, we've been separated from the rest of our group. What's more, we're in a rather compromising position. The crash site is basically a beacon to let others know we were here."

"I see. That's… rather troublesome." Robin pulled himself up to a sitting position with crossed legs. "Do you know how many there are up top?"

"I counted twenty," I responded, holding up the appropriate amount of fingers. "But there could be more, knowing our luck."

Robin patted himself down before his eyes widened in realization. "Where's my gear?"

"I had to leave it all up there," I sighed. "If I collected it all and tried to escape along with the two of you, I would have gotten caught."

Robin's brow furrowed in thought. "Hand me your dagger, Tharja." The dark mage complied, handing Robin the knife. With the instrument, Robin carved a small indent in the floor of the cave, as well as a line to mark the cliff we were on.

"A singular spot. That's where we are right now." Robin lifted his gaze to me before he offered me the knife. "Eric, please mark as accurately as you can the locations of all the scouts."

Taking the dagger from Robin's hand, I scratch out the positions of the soldiers the best I could. When finished, Robin appraised the impromptu floor map, more than likely trying to analyze the best way for escape without capture. When he gave such a dejected sigh, however, I could tell that he came up with a… less-than-savoury way out. "What's the plan?"

The platinum-blond grit his teeth. "Turns out we're fresh out of luck with our hand. Judging based on the position of the cliff versus the position of the numerous enemy soldiers, they more than likely have the path lined with men as they patrol the area."

Tharja bit her nail. "Which means that escape up top is next to impossible."

"Right. Not only would that take the three of us too long to climb up to the path, or the fact that it would be too difficult with this steep an angle, but even if we got to the path, they'd be on us faster than we could prepare ourselves," Robin concluded. "Considering the fact that Eric is the only one of us armed, we can't fight our way through. We'd give away our cover anyway if we were to start up a big ruckus."

I was beginning to grow impatient. "So then, what's our plan?"

The tactician sighed. "We have to go down the cliff."

I glared at him in disbelief. "Yeah, we'll just go down the cliff and kill ourselves," I scoffed sarcastically.

"I wasn't finished, I'm getting to it," Robin responded dryly. "They may be able to sense our presence if we utilize magic, but no matter how good their sensory capabilities, everyone has a limit to how far their capabilities stretch. An area-of-effect, so to speak. Understand what I'm getting at?"

I held a thoughtful pose for a brief moment, an epiphany coming to me quickly. "You're thinking of getting out of that particular range so that we can use magic undetected."

"If we can get far enough away, we could potentially fly to the next town or region over. The two of us need to restock on weaponry, and you" He gestured to the poorly treated injury I received, "need to get proper medical aid."

Ah, Robin. Your genius never ceases to amaze.

"Alright, but I'll need you on my back, Robin, and Tharja in my arms. I can't carry you both with just one or the other method," I told him with a tone one would associate with a complaint. "You two are too damn heavy."

* * *

"This is so embarrassing."

"I look like a damned princess in distress."

"Stop complaining. This is your boyfriend's plan, and the only way it can be executed."

And so that was how I ended up as a human ferry for the Ylissean Grandmaster and the Plegian Dark Mistress. With the former on my back and the latter in my arms, I took a few sharp breaths as I peered over the face of the cliff. Once I began to feel the breeze from our altitude and the howling of the winds, my breath grew rougher and rougher.

Wait. That wasn't mine that I heard. If that was the case, then those must have belonged to...

"Something wrong?" Tharja began. "Don't tell me you're having second thoughts about your plan, love."

"I just realized something. I. Do not. Like heights," Robin gasped out, trying to keep my composure.

I rolled my eyes. "Calm down, I won't drop you," I huffed.

The snowhead wrapped his arms around my neck, making it and effort to keep his grip as tight as possible. "As long as you don't suffocate me, idiot!"

"Focus, you two."

The voice of Tharja pulled the two of us back into focus. I stepped up to the edge, preparing myself to take the jump. Receiving a nod from the dark mage, it was all on my go. "You guys ready? No going back now."

"Yeah," Robin said. "But whatever you do," he began as I took my running start, "Don't do anything ex-TRAAAAAA!" After I ran up to the ledge, I leapt off with the grace of a swan, flipping forward until I was falling feet-first. The ground below me, while I knew it was approaching, it seemed like it took an eternity to reach us. At least Robin's fear of heights was founded.

Speaking of which, the stunt that I pulled left the tactician in question very irate. "You fool! You could have sent us straight to our deaths! We're not in the position to play around with flips!"

"Shut UP!" I growled. Our descent continued until eventually I started channelling wind down towards my feet and propelling us forward. I made sure that we were well out of range before taking off, however. I needed to be extra careful, and the tactician's screaming didn't help. "Are you trying to get us spotted?!"

Just as I finished berating my passenger, I saw a flaming arrow fly right past me. Of course we were spotted.

I had the urge to pinch away at my nose to ward off the coming migraine, but with Tharja in my arms, I simply grit my teeth. "Robin, I swear once we get out of this I will kill you!" In lieu of a coherent verbal response, the usually collected and level-headed tactician sputtered out a whimpering mess of unintelligible gibberish. The sooner I got this lunatic off of my back, the better.

While on the topic, it wasn't before long that the three of us escaped out of sight and made it further down the path, around an hour's march away from where we all started. And with a less-than-delicate landing-me throwing Robin off at the last second while I crashed on my shoulder to lessen the impact on Tharja-the three of us rested a little bit to catch our bearings. Gone were the crags and cliffs of the mountainous pass, replaced by what seemed to be a rural village on a grassy plateau, topped off with some nearby woodland. The fatigue really begun setting in, and it was certainly no different for the other two. "Looks like we're safe, for now."

On Robin's end, ultimately, it seemed that he still had the energy left to blow his top. "Safe is highly subjective here. Trapped in an unknown place with a twisted maniac. And Tharja."

"Hey! You got a lot of nerve talking like that to the guy who saved your ass!" I snapped.

"You only got us out of that one scrap, and barely at that!" Robin barked back.

"Okay, girls, girls, you're both pretty," Tharja sighed with a roll of the eyes. "Now if you'll stop bickering like such, we have more pressing matters to attend to. We need to figure out where we are and go from there. It'd do us no good to just sit around waiting to be caught."

I pointed over Robin's shoulder behind him. "There's quite a large village there. Perhaps we could rest and gather some intel."

The platinum-blond crossed his arms once he spotted the civilisation. "They don't look like they would carry weapons, they're basically out in the boonies."

"Well, you'd be right." I patted him on the shoulder as I passed him. "But you seem to forget where we are. This is Pandora. Honestly, I'd be surprised if they DIDN'T have weapons to sell."

Robin tilted his head. "Come to think of it, during our escape, my eye did catch quite the number of mining sites around."

"Must have been the iron and coal mines. Which means we were around the third or fourth district of DeLeon's province."

"District?"

"Oh, right, I forgot." I glanced back at Robin. "Pandora is a large country divided into five main provinces: Xeldross, our capital. El Sol, the easternmost state, our breadbasket. Barceis in the northeast, and our smallest of the five provinces. Katal, the largest province in land mass, mainly rural, but has its fairly densely packed areas. Finally, DeLeon. Mountainous, and rich in coal and iron."

I rose a finger in instruction. "Each of these provinces have five districts, and each one is run by a noble house. They, however, are run by what is called the governing house, who heads the five districts. Pandora has four of these governing houses for each province except Xeldross."

"I assume that's obviously where the throne is."

"Yeah," I replied. "And since Xeldross is the crown province, the only governing body there is the throne, which goes without saying, runs the entire country."

"Wonderful geography lesson," Tharja dismissed with an eye roll. "What's your point?"

"Uh, Robin was the one who asked me, thank you," I retorted with equal amounts of sarcasm. "But that brings up something more important. Districts 3 and 4 of DeLeon are somewhere closer to the eastern side of the province."

"And….?"

"Aaaaaand, that means we're closing in on the capital province. Where Say'ri is being held."

Robin nodded with slightly widened eyes. "How long would it take for us to get there?"

I scratched my head. "Hard to say, but based on a general estimate, we would probably reach by maybe two weeks on foot, give or take a day."

"Two weeks, huh?" Robin shook his head. "Let's hope we find the others soon. Three of us in enemy territory, it's suicide."

I raised a hand to my forehead. "Subterfuge is key, so just act normal."

It would not be long before the three of us reached the village on the way, where we would spend a bit of time resting, restocking, and the like. The sun was rather high in the sky still, just a little lower than the midday point. We had a little bit of time left before we even needed to consider going on the move again. So, while we had the mistress of time at our leisure, I gave Robin and Tharja some coin to purchase them new gear while I hobbled myself over to the local apothecary. Sure, my bleeding had stopped, and the wound was superficial at this point, but I didn't want to risk it getting infected or later on in or out of combat. I would assume not even that weird regeneration I had would stop nasty infections from surfacing. Nitpicks aside, I approached an ornately decorated hut that had chimes hanging from the roof.

Inside was a rather petite woman with hair tied up in a bun. She was very vibrant looking, and while I knew she was a handful of years older than me, she certainly maintained her age extremely well. She stood before her work table, salves and concoctions splayed all across its surface. Seems like she was ready for business.

I cleared my throat, getting the youthful lady's attention. "Hello there?"

Her small meek frame jumped. "O-oh, good day, sir! I-I didn't hear you enter! What brings you here?" she asked with a charming southern drawl.

"It's okay, I should have knocked." Waving my hand in dismissal to her apology, I closed the door behind me. "To answer your question, I was on my travels and I received a rather superficial wound. Nothing too threatening, but I would like to get it treated properly to prevent infection."

I grasped the hem of my shirt before lifting it up, revealing the wound to the lady, who subsequently nearly fainted on her feet. With a delicate touch, her dainty hands danced across the left side of my torso, right along the length of the laceration. "Superficial? Sir, how long have you had this?"

"Perhaps an hour or two?" I answered, phrased more like a question.

The woman's eyes widened considerably. "This is no simple scratch, it looks like a deep wound! I'm but a simple apothecary, no surgeon or cleric! You need stitches to sew the skin back together!"

"My lady, it's okay." Lowering my shirt, I moved to remove my belt and place it at the foot of her work table. "It's bleeding has stopped, the wound has been healing well. I just need it to be disinfected. Would that be out of the question?"

The woman gave me an apprehensive glance before reaching for a cloth. "I s'pose not. Please, grab a stool."

Conceding to her wishes, I sat down and removed my shirt. The lady submerged her cloth in one of the mixtures she had available before reaching to dab away at the blackened, hardened, cracked wound. Her brow wrinkled at the sight of the gruesome cut, eyebrows raising ever so slightly when she saw the small, nigh-unnoticeable specks of purple miasma traipsing around the inflicted area. "My, my, now what could you have possibly got yourself into to receive something like this?"

"I'm not sure," I replied between dabs, accompanied by winces. "I was just in my travels, blacked out, woke up with a two-by-four lodged in my gut. All in all, not my best day."

"I see." She dampens her cloth once more before wringing it out. "Lucky for you that you know how to treat a wound, primitive as the method is. But if this was the same day, your injury shouldn't be in nearly as good a condition as yours."

Reaching into her apron, she pulled out a roll of gauze to bandage up the disinfected flesh. "Still, even with your treatment and my handiwork, there's the bigwig town a lil more east of here you could get better treatment, right close to the capital province, that it is."

"Close to the capital, you say?" I perked up with intrigue. "Which reminds me… would you happen to notice any activity with the local military?"

The woman froze. "Now that ya mention it… our nation's been in a state of civil war o' sorts. Ever since the fall of the royal family nearly twenty years ago… the country's been unstable ever since. Through the downward spiral, the head of the right-hand house, the Gallos, has been able to keep it together, albeit barely. But…"

I tilted my head. "But…?"

"He's been overthrown and imprisoned by a rather stout man named Shuyo two years ago, and the country's been in civil war ever since. The man wasn't even subtle with it… rather, he explicitly admits it as some sort o' badge of honour. It's done nothin' but ravage our lands… Starve out the civilian population, leave everyone in poverty… It's become a war of attrition that the populace simply can't take."

Another revolution of the bandage had come full circle. "However, Zech saw the potential of this outcome. What's more, he truly believed that the blood prince… the TRUE next-in-line was still alive out there in the world, so he sent his son out of the country to find him prior to his imprisonment."

It took me only a split second to realize what it truly was that this woman was suggesting. She must have been referring to Raven. Not important, but still interesting to know the name of her father, as I hadn't known the man by name, and I barely remembered what he looked like. How Shuyo managed to drag Pandora of all nations to the brink of collapse within a short two year period is beyond me. Makes me want to snap his neck even more.

I clenched my fist before slamming it on the bench, shattering it to pieces. "Damn him!"

The lady flinched quickly, retreating right as she finished tightening the knot on the bandage. A rush of red flowed through my cheeks, embarrassed for not holding my anger in check. "Er, sorry for that, my lady. I'll shell out a few extra for that table."

I gave her a handful of gold, more than enough to cover for her table and service. "O-oh, well thank you, sir. Anyway, you should be fine for now. Don't push yourself too hard now. And good luck on your travels!"

"Thank you." With a curt nod, I put back on my shirt and my belt, the extra weight of my sword and other equipment swinging at my side. I was about to leave before I heard the ring of a sword being released from a sheath. So naturally, I whipped my body around only to see my sword in the hands of the maiden in my company. In her hands and beneath her focus, she analyzed the blade extremely closely.

"Hmm…" She held the blade out tip-first towards me. "You know, I've had my eye on this sword ever since you came in. This particular shade of purple… the curve, its single edge… Even its guard, the triangular sigil on it… It's a beacon for attention. Still, that would make things significantly more precise. Either A: you're a simple sellsword who may have killed the prince and took the royal blade as a spoil of war. Or B…"

A quick swipe upwards with the blade cut the cloth around my forehead in two, revealing my stamp and shocking the maiden with my sword. "Y-you're the actual prince… Eric Pandora…"

"Aw, crap."

The woman could not contain her elation. "Pardon my grievous manners, my young lord! My name is Lara. Oh, this is wonderful. Our lord has finally come back to us! I was but a piglet when you left us, not much older than you. Why, if I knew you'd grow up to be such a handsome young fellow, I would have taken my chances and left with ya!"

I scratched the back of my neck. "Flattering, but at the moment, I'm currently engaged, and with child no less. That's actually why I'm here."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, the bald bastard took her right from under my nose and I'm here to get her back. Whatever happens afterwards, well… we'll see."

The once exuberant apothecarist, now named Lara, shoots me a needled yet confused glare. "You mean, you haven't come back to us? Your home?"

"Home?" I snatched the sword out of her hands, careful to use my left hand so I didn't cut myself. "You mean the same home that would go so far as to blame an innocent child for the fall of a kingdom, and quite forcefully chase him out long before he'd even tasted his tenth birthday?" Eternity found its sheath once again as Lara's glare fell, her eyes reflecting an iota of regret and sympathy. "Knowing that I am truly alive would make them all try to brown-nose in repentance, which if I'm being honest, would be quite the ego boost. That said, the only reason why anyone would accept me now is in the hope that I drag Pandora out of the sorry state it's currently in."

I tore the door open, ready to walk out. "If the people so desperately want their king back… I will fight to save this country. However, upon my coronation, I expect no less than a formal apology on behalf of the councils for their incompetence. It's the very least they could do after trying to murder their crown prince." And with those words, I left the apothecarist alone, continuing onward with my journey.

 **Narrator PoV**

Somewhere else, within the eastern mountain range of DeLeon, was a woman traipsing around on the back of a bear. Crossing over into what she had always remembered as the Lion's Mane, or _Melena de León_ in her native tongue, she knew that she had been reaching incredibly close to the objective she had sought.

A dainty hand brushed against the smooth brown fur of her ursine steed. "Things are going well, aren't they?" Receiving a guttural growl in response, Raven hummed in contentment. "Fear not, gentle one. We will meet with the others soon enough." A dismissal snort was heard as their movement continued. "I just hope milord is okay…"

It had been maybe an hour or two since she had awoken herself, laying in a crater with nothing more than her lord's pet bear and whatever she had on her person. Since then, however, she made sure to drink in the view of her home country, she had missed it a substantial lot. It had been a rather long time since she had been here in the rugged land of Pandora, and that description applied to both the topography and demography of the nation, a remark the swordswoman giggled at internally.

As she marched onward, she caught a glimpse of a small guard that patrolled the border she was currently about to cross. However, in her years of military action, she hadn't seen this crop before. Now, one could argue it was simply because she hadn't been around in the last three years or so, but she had her eyes and ears all over the country, even in her absence. So she knew virtually everything that was going on within the bounds of the nation.

It also didn't help that this patrol guard also brandished their flag.

Their banner was a cool, almost mint green colour, with a white insignia on its face: two wolf heads facing away from one another, separated by a lance pointing downward in a diagonal fashion, making the insignia take on the shape of the letter 'Z'.

Raven narrowed her eyes in both observant thought and mild disdain. She knew what banner that was. It was the banner of the house in which Shuyo hailed from, House Tenochi. It was a minor, almost unremarkable noble house from the small northeastern province of Barceis. At least the intel was correct, she surmised with a frown on her face. From the position she was in, she had a fairly good view of the border patrol, not even two hours march away. If she were a betting woman-while she didn't gamble much, she had faith in her eyesight-she saw that they had mobilized in a formation unheard of for a simple patrol. Like they were in wait for something.

Raven clenched her jaw tightly. "Damn. He knows we're here…"

The Commander-General gripped the saddle tighter as she inched closer and closer. A pair of coughs escaped her, muscles tensing at the taste of metal in her mouth. Concerning in its own right, but not the time to worry about that. She would potentially have a fight of her own to come across.

Upon approach of the border, she was halted by the patrol guard, who were in a sort of defensive rally. She was right. "Halt! State your name and business!"

Hopping off of Mei Ling, Raven put on a sweet smile. However, deep down, she had every intention of killing them if need be. She knew very well that a battle was essentially inevitable. "Hello there, officers! How may I help you today?"

A rugged armoured man with stubble on his chin rose his hand in gesture. "You could start by identifying yourself, like we requested."

Still biding her time, Raven maintained her false grin. "Oh, I am simply a wandering merchant peddling my wares!"

Some of the men snickered rather menacingly, others in a more amused manner. One of the former approached Raven, standing right in front of the lady. "A merchant, huh? Is that why you carry a sword on you?"

"Excuse me for having half a mind in recognition that this country is in trying times," Raven replied, voice sweet as sugar. "A sweet young lady like me needs to have some sort of protection."

"And your clothing, your robes. They don't look like something your everyday merchant would wear."

Raven crossed her arms with posh that rivalled Maribelle. "No rule saying I can't look good while doing so. Also just so happens that I have a problem with self-indulgence."

The man simply nodded, his previous grin becoming a frown. "I suppose you make a good point. Now tell me your name, wandering traveller."

Raven said nothing, instead she moved her finger to gesture the officer to lean in forward, which he had obliged. "Well, if you must know…"

A loud squelch could be heard as the man grunted in pain. All men held up their weaponry, ready to fight. "...my name is Raven Gallo."

Removing her hand, she let the man drop dead before swiping her hand clean of his blood. All who were present at the patrol were taken aback, some were even looking as if they were ready to turn tail and run. They all had fear written on their clear on their face, they knew exactly who it was they were messing with. Not any simple merchant, but rather the Commander-General of Pandora.

Raven drew her sword. "Now then… which one of you degenerates are first?"

"Grrr! How dare you!" One man in the back growled. "Either turn back or die!"

"An ultimatum, huh? I love ultimatums," Raven responded. "Here's mine: Men, either die to your leader for insubordination, or die to me. Your choice."

An air of despair looming over the patrol group, the men looked between one another before they focused their gaze on Raven. A single gulp was heard, echoing throughout the silence of the mountain range as muscles tensed, anticipating the next move until suddenly, with a hive mind, they all attacked.

"Deep end it is," Raven huffed as she readied her blade. Angling her sword arm back with her free hand gliding along the flat of her sword, she laid in wait as the others charged her. " _Shirotōryu: Gyaku Karasu no Jutsu(White Sword Style: Reverse Crow Technique)!_ " In a blinding flash of movement, a mere blink of the eye, Raven darted forward like an arrow, killing nearly twenty men in a single movement. Crimson mist sprayed all around, permeating the area with a thick, steely fog as the bodies hit the floor.

Raven grinned at the shock and ire written on the platoon's faces. "Consider that but a warning shot. Stand down, or the rest of you-"

A sudden sharp pain shot through Raven's body before she began convulsing heavily, falling into an intense coughing fit as she crumpled to one knee. The remains of the enemy platoon, while confused, decided to take advantage of the weakness in the swordswoman. "Apologies, milady, what was that?" the bearded man from before asked maliciously. "I couldn't quite hear you over the sound of the coughing fit you just had. Please, do speak up."

But Raven could not. Dry hacks turned into bloody coughs, staining her palm red when she tried to cover her mouth. 'Damn, not now,' she cursed internally. She looked at the blade she had used to support herself. Raven feared it hadn't come to pass, but she knew it. This was the price for what could be considered her inhuman power.

Uramasa was no laughing matter.

More blood was expelled from her body as the aged man kicked Raven in the chest, sending her tumbling back. The pain was minimal, however, drowned out by the sensation she felt burning through her entire body. Soon enough, her vision began to blur as she saw the elderly figure loom over her. Lecherous laughter, clanking of metal boots approaching ever so daunting… and then screams. Were they hers? No, Raven was for sure that her mouth wasn't even open, let alone screaming. What's more, they were far more masculine than she remembered her voice being.

It had to have been those men, she assumed. It couldn't have been anyone else. But why did they scream in such agony?

"Men! Subdue this wretch!" she heard the commanding officer bark. Yet as moments passed, they never got to her. Instead, what should have been a struggle to detail her was replaced with utter silence, save for a pair of light boots and a young lady's voice who sounded rather miffed.

"Gods, I can't believe these brutes!" she said. "Well, I suppose that's what I get for doing my hair like this. Not very combat appropriate."

Raven said nothing as unconsciousness took her. If this was a person with good intentions, she would happily give in and let this woman do what she willed. If she was of the enemy… well, Raven figured she had a good run. The last thing the swordswoman felt before slipping away was her arm being draped over shoulder.

"She's surprisingly light," the masked woman remarked. "To think this is the woman here to protect Dad…"

Her eyes fell towards the sword that Raven had been holding previously. "No… if it weren't for whatever that thing was doing to her… she'd have no problem." Making sure that this wouldn't fall into the wrong hands, the woman picked up the sword with cloth to protect from direct contact, and sheathed it before taking off, Mei Ling following not too far behind.

"I know where she is being held," the masked woman thought aloud. "I can take you right to her… right after I treat you. Your body isn't in good shape, Auntie…"

* * *

 **FD: I know someone is particularly happy about the end little bit. Even though I kind of rushed it on a fleeting whim of motivation.**

 **Tychon: *squeals uncontrollably***

 **FD: Until next time, when we follow Cordelia, Chrom, Olivia, and Mikalus on their journey to the capital.**


	15. Say'ri Retrieval Arc: Encounter

**A/N: Okay, we are back with another chapter of Decisions!**

 **Tychon: Well, you seem to be in a pleasant mood today, Draco.**

 **FD: Yeah. ...oh, not because of any increase in quality of life or anything.**

 **Tychon: Oh? Then what caused the change? Wrestling? Games? What could it be?**

 **FD: The simple yet powerful art of not giving a fuck.**

 **Tychon: ...come again?**

 **FD: I care too much about the outcomes and potential paths and curveballs life has to throw at me instead of taking each day as it comes. So, I have dedicated myself to simply not giving two shillings worth a damn about what goes on because, life goes on.**

 **And so without further ado, let's roll!**

 **Tychon: Oh… okay.**

* * *

 **"The Day" by Porno Graffiti (Boku no Hero Academia OP1)**

 **(Intro)**

The camera flickers over various areas of Eric's body bathed in light: his legs, his belt, his arm, and then his chest. Quickly, his sword is seen taken from the its spot in the ground before his cape, swipes across the camera.

 **(Shizukesa ga shimikomu you de iki wo tometa gozen goji**

 **Hijou kaidan de tsume wo kamu asu wa docchi da? THE DAY HAS COME!)**

The scene shows Eric looking out into the sky on a cliff from a bird's eye view perspective, then one of a closer side profile with a wistful expression on his face as he grips his blade tensely. As if brought out of his thought, he jumps when he feels a hand touch his left shoulder, belonging to Raven. Eric grins at her before Chrom walks on his right side, punching his own palm. The three draw their blades and lock them with another's before raising their blades up high. The camera follows the blades' ascent until only the sky is in frame. The title of Fire Emblem: Decisions slowly fades into frame as it shrinks and becomes less transparent.

 **(Keshite akenai yoru mo, furitsuzukete yamanai ame mo**

 **Kono roku demo nai sekai ni wa arunda yo)**

The Pandorian royal is walking down a dirt path with his blade on his shoulder, casually walking past an entire squadron laid to waste in his wake. Once he comes across a tree that has lost all its leaves, one sees a silhouette of boots standing on one of its bare branches. Eric looks up and is greeted by a red-clad figure wearing a mask. His coat billows in the wind as he reaches behind him and grips his sword. The camera shows Eric's mouth initially open in slight surprise slowly become a grin of anticipation.

 **(Sukoshi mo hen de wa nai no madoromi ni ashi wo torareteru**

 **Anata wo semeteiru wake janai da yo)**

Facing the left, Raven is walking in spot in front of a mountainous backdrop with horizontal white bars, behind her are images of her Generals who each show up one by one in order of Lugiel, Regulus, Reo, and Zeno; each of them with a grin on their face bar Regulus. The next scene shows the four Generals' figures slide quickly from the top into frame, then change from the previous background to a dirt field, where the four Generals are standing in front of their lieutenants. A split screen shows the four looking forward with a look of determination and willpower before a hand waves, sending the four generals forward.

 **(Hitori kuusou ni asobu**

 **soko de omoi egaita koto made hajiru no kai?)**

Say'ri has her hands clasped together as she sits in a seiza position in front of an ominous purple background. The camera zooms out and shows her sitting in the palm of Shuyo, who looks down at the smaller woman with an evil grin. Zooming out even further, behind Shuyo is a large pair of hazel eyes that open up briefly and then close once again. Shuyo balls his hand into a fist and swings his hand out, changing the purple background into a high plateau, where his adjutant Luar is standing by him in front of an entire battalion of troops led by a handful of his captains. Shuyo's forces look down on the fifteen intent on rescuing Say'ri. Without words, Chrom nods at Robin and then bumps his fist against Eric's.

 **(Karamiau meikyuu meikyuu, soredemo yuku to iu no?)**

Miriel fires a torrent of fire that consumes a number of enemy soldiers, and Vaike immediately jumps out of said flames to smash a shield with a hammer. Robin opens his tome, pages flipping quickly, and is surrounded by golden magic runes before the scene instantly shifts to Cordelia, taking off on her pegasus and zooming out into the sky.

 **(Chiisaki tabibito ga kanaderu hajimari no kane no ne)**

The camera shows a lone woman with pigtails beneath the moon, then an image of the woman's face on the left side of the scene in the sky in side profile. She brings a hand up and removes her mask to reveal a young, emotionless face. Next, Mikalus is trying to get to his feet using his sword as a cane. Blood spilling down his chin, the camera shifts to a closer shot of Mikalus gritting his teeth and flashing a smile.

 **(Yukuate mo DON'T KNOW DON'T KNOW, hontou wa kowai'n ja nai no?**

 **Fumidasu sono ippo ippo ga kaete yukeru sa THE DAY HAS COME!)**

From a bird's eye view, three arrows of light rush forward and weave in between one another; one is red, the middle is purple, and the final one is blue. The camera slowly moves to the front of the arrows, showing Raven, Eric, and Chrom respectively charging into battle with immense speed, weapons drawn and wearing their war faces. The camera zooms over to show a close up of a taller and bigger Shuyo with red eyes and black sclera grinning at them before it gets so close, the reflection of the three warriors can be seen in the bald man's eye; this clip is then frozen in place.

 **(Outro)**

Cordelia and Olivia, Vaike and Miriel, Gaius, Panne, and Libra, Robin and Tharja, Frederick, Mikalus and Onyx, and finally Chrom, Eric, and Raven all pose with their respective weapons ready, each group in their own respectively clip in tune with the guitar riff. The opening ends with the full fifteen standing in frame.

* * *

 _-Raven-_

Consciousness finally coming to her, Raven now had basic control over her senses. Knew neither where she was or what had happened to her, but she at least knew she was alive. As she was coming to, she had come to realize that her body felt like lead; as if her strength had been sapped away during her slumber. It took her everything just to move her fingers in her bedroll. At least she knew those worked, so she decided next to open her eyes.

Taking in her surroundings, she realized she was in a cavern, dark and cool. This hadn't bothered her so much, as it seemed that it was actually rather cozy. Er, by living standards of a cave, at least. The entrance was disguised by a cover of cloth, allowing small rays of light to poke through and light up the cavern a little bit. That little bit of light allowed Raven to acknowledge everything around her, including a single person in the corner working away with mortar and pestle. The two tools clicked away, crushing the herbs and materials into what Raven could only assume was going to be a compound utilized to treat her.

"Oh, good. You're awake," the person's voice called to her.

Raven groaned in response as she tried to get herself to a sitting position. "I hope you like mint tea with a little extra surprise. Er, the extra surprise will help you recover better. And aid digestion, I guess."

Once more, Raven dismissed the woman's words, locking her gaze on her blade, which currently was sitting in the table next to the woman.

"You know," she sighed. "it would be leagues better if we could have a conversation as opposed to just me talking and getting no response. Feels like I'm talking to a brick wall."

She was right. This would get Raven nowhere. Not unless she took part of the conversation into her own hands. "...Thank you."

"Sounds about right," the woman responded. "It's nice to receive some sort of gratitude around here." She then placed the herb mixture into a thin material, wrapping the contents and tying them up like a teabag. "Now then, I suggest you take it easy. While you have no external injury other than some light bruising, your internals have been ravaged by that blade of yours. I had to spend the last hour trying to make sure you didn't choke on your own blood while you slept."

Raven gripped a fistful of the sheets cloaking her frame, her head hung in self-inflicted shame. "Oh, and another thing…" the other woman continued. "I also suggest you kick that elixir hoarding strategy of yours. That won't do anything for your condition, save for maybe start an uncommon addiction."

But Raven had essentially ignored that last statement, focusing her strength into getting to her feet. Seeing that the woman still had her back turned, focused more on steeping the bag into a cup of hot water, Raven made it to her feet, hobbling slowly to where her blade laid on the table. The soft smacks of skin on the rock floor made the redheaded woman jump in surprise.

"Hey, what are you doing?! You should be in bed resting!" Raven continued to ignore her, reaching for her sword on the counter. She would have gotten to it, but she was immediately sent careening back to her bedroll, followed by the blooming sensation of pain on her left cheek.

"Could you just sit down?! I would prefer it if I didn't have to knock you out just so you will actually rest!" she barked at Raven.

Raven knew it. Despite her will to protest, she knew that she was right. She had to relax so that she could recover. Ultimately, she just bit the bullet and laid back in her bedroll. "I like my tea fresh off the pot. I-if you don't mind."

The redhead smiled. "Of course." Presenting her the cup on a small tray, Raven took it and carefully sipped the contents, feeling the warm liquid run down her throat. "May I ask your name?"

The youngest woman smiled once again. "My name is Crimson Cobra, but my friends call me Cece. Short for that, but could be for Cecelia too, I guess."

Raven places her cup at her side, careful not to spill it. "Ah, such a lovely name. I believe that's the name of milord's great-grandmother."

"Milord?"

Raven lightly smacked her own forehead. "Right, me and my own doldrums… I speak of my master, I serve as his retainer. However, we had been separated upon our journey here."

"You mean the prince of this crumbling nation?"

Raven stiffened. How the hell did she know? She didn't reveal that information to her. "H-how did you-"

"Your clothes scream Pandorian, and you just told me you serve a master. And your clothes themselves are of high-class, find me anyone who couldn't make that out."

Raven furrowed her brow. "Yes, but that doesn't tell me how you knew I served Lord Eric specifically."

Cece grit her teeth. "Well aren't you a smart aleck? Fine. The truth is: I've been keeping tabs on your master."

The moment she finished that sentence, Raven shot forward and clutched Cece's collar, ire written clear across her face. "You've been spying on him?! For what?! What do you plan on doing to him?!"

"Relax!" Cece swatted away the offending limb, breathing out a disgusted huff. "This is the thanks I get for doing something nice."

Said woman pinched the bridge of her nose. "Look, I haven't done, nor plan to, do anything to your precious master, okay? I'm just tasked to make sure he is doing okay. In fact, that comes down to part of the reason why I saved you in the first place."

"And that is…?"

"I was hoping you knew his whereabouts."

The dark haired swordswoman took yet another sip on her tea, potentially for a relaxant more than anything else. "So you expect me to give the location information of my master to someone who's spying on him? Someone of whom I know not?"

"Try to think of me as a guardian angel of sorts," Cece answered. "It's a little bit arrogant, but it's not inaccurate. Plus, at least that way, you would show some gratitude."

"I believe I already thanked you."

"For saving your life," Cece retorted. "Not for looking out for your master when you couldn't."

A bubble of bile rose up Raven's throat, but she managed to suppress it and play nice for now. Her gaze fell upon her sword. "My condition is worsening."

Cece's eyes also traced their way to the sword. "Yes. While you were asleep, I had been trying to study that blade in between treatments. That's the Uramasa blade, isn't it?"

Rhetorical, Raven recognized, so she simply allowed Cece to continue. "It's known as one of The Six Demonic Weapons. Uramasa, a katana of unrivalled cutting power. Its pure white blade preceding the blood red with each swipe. A spirit weapon, as the laymen call it, it grants its wielded superhuman strength and abilities. But once it's stained by blood… that's when it goes all downhill for the user."

Cece turned to Raven. "Although, I am surprised. Most of its previous wielders die within a week of using that sword. Judging by how weathered your sheath for it is, I can imagine you've had it for much longer than that."

Raven coughed. "Five years."

"Years?" The redhead widened her eyes in surprise. Sure, there were strong spirited people who have held the sword longer than the usual week before their souls, and by extension, bodies deteriorated. But five years? That was almost unheard of.

"Impressive as that is," Cece began. "you still fall victim to its curse. The condition that it is leaving you in… it could get you killed if you're careless. So here is what I propose."

Raven leaned in, listening attentively to Cece's proposition. "I will accompany you in whatever it is your mission or what you're trying to accomplish is. Chances are, I'm the only one in close proximity who can take care of you should you fall into another coughing fit. On a few conditions."

"I am listening."

"Number one: you are to spend another day in bed, at the very least. You will get your shot, but if you try to rush it, you will only worsen your condition." Waiting for Raven to nod, she continued. "And number two: you are to never use that sword again."

Before Raven could protest, Cece interrupted her. "That blade will only continue to kill you, slowly but steadily. Besides, by wielding that blade for so long, you've already demonstrated that your own spirit is more than strong enough to combat it, which is far more than literally anyone else can say. Deal?"

Raven weighed her options heavily. The first one was a no-brainer: rest longer, fight longer and better. But it was the second condition that made it worth considering. By giving up Uramasa, with time Raven could be healthy again. And like she said, her own fighting spirit proved that she is physically and spiritually strong enough to resist the effects of the blade. Yes, the added power and speed was great, but not if its trade-off was eventual death.

"Fine," Raven sighed. "I accept your terms."

"Good." Cece took up Raven's cup. "You Pandorians can be so stubborn sometimes."

* * *

 _-Mikalus-_

"Keep the sun behind your left shoulder, everyone," the hazel-eyed mercenary instructed to the two behind him. "We need to make it to Xeldross by the week's end, we're already stunted by taking the long way."

It had started with confusion, pain, and a crater. Splintered wood and debris had been left everywhere in the wake of the crash, and surprisingly, Mikalus had been the only one left conscious after touching down. Mind you, however, that he wasn't the only one who was left conscious altogether. Cordelia, crafty as she was, was able to mount her pegasus before she actually even touched down, silently thanking whatever it was that made her decide in becoming a pegasus knight. The two of them had been left to treat Olivia and Chrom until they both came to, and once the latter two were in acceptable condition, the quartet were off. Taking a brief stop only to stock up on resource at a nearby village, they set off just as quickly, making sure not to draw any attention to themselves.

By now, the day was drawing to a close, the hues of colour caused by the setting sun splashed all across the sky. Mikalus, being the only one of the four of them who knew the layout of the nation, set up a plan of sorts in such a way he deemed had the highest chance of survival for their group. Cordelia, having the best eyesight and field of vision out of the four thanks to her pegasus, was the spearhead of the group, taking to the skies. Mikalus himself was behind her in order, as he had the lay of the land and knew how to conceal themselves if needed be. Chrom followed afterwards, as he was the most adept in combat and could spring to action at the drop of a hat, and finally Olivia, with her exceptional hearing-part of her skill as a dancer was attributed to her sense of hearing, she took great pride in it-took to the rear of the formation, sure to cover blind spots.

So far, the crew had managed to avoid any conflict with the enemy ranks. While they counted their lucky stars that they hadn't been unfortunate enough to be caught in ambush, the lack of obstacle they faced to this point was quite unnerving to say the least. Despite having eyes in the sky and ears behind him, Mikalus kept on the lookout constantly. Ever since they left that one village, he knew something felt off. He could sense it.

"Hey, Mikalus," Chrom called, breaking the blonde out of his self-induced stupor.

"Please, just call me Mike," the mercenary responded. "It's not that hard."

"Oh, my apologies." Chrom scratched at the back of his neck. "But if you don't mind my asking, why do you insist on taking the long way?"

Mikalus huffed. "From what I was able to gather from a quick scout of the area from your redheaded friend up there" he pointed up at Cordelia. "it looked to me that we landed somewhere in the western end of Katal. We could have crossed into DeLeon by moving northwest, sure, but given our situation, it wasn't necessarily the best course of action."

"Why not?"

Mikalus rolled his right wrist in an attempt to ease the pressure his carpal tunnel exerted. "I don't know very much about it, but from what I could overhear from Shuyo and his adjutants, this country is in a state of civil war. Having taken the throne over, Shuyo and his banner have taken over both the capital as well as the state of DeLeon as his own. Given that information, I figured it would be best to avoid it."

"I suppose so," the young exalt said. "But you said you were contracted by Shuyo, no? If they know who you are, couldn't you have gotten through without any trouble?"

Mikalus shook his head. "I couldn't take that gamble. Because of the plan he orchestrated on the prince, he probably knows what the redhead looks like at the very least. Not to mention, flashing the Brand of the Exalt in front of the enemy would not have ideal. It would have thrown us into a combat situation that we would have been ill-equipped to handle."

Chrom couldn't argue with that. If they had encountered some of the tyrant's men, it would have been a very slippery slope trying to get through. If it were him alone, he could just tell them he's come to pick up earnings, but that wasn't possible with the other three with him. Who were armed. One of whom was undeniably royalty of another country. Anyone with half a brain immediately would have thought something was up. "So then what about the other states that Shuyo doesn't have? Like this one? Does that mean we're safer?"

"If we are, it wouldn't be by much. Remember, we still have to worry about the God-Generals and their lieutenants," Mikalus warned. "I wouldn't surprised if they were on our trail right now."

The tall blonde turned his head back. "That reminds me… the crash was pretty harsh. You sure you and Olivia are in good enough condition to fight?"

Chrom rubbed at the nasty bruise he sported on his exposed right arm. He winced at the sensation of his gloved hand brushing the tender bicep, though he was rather thankful that was the worst of his injuries. Olivia was no different. Despite the fall, the protection of the barrier had made sure that she suffered minor injuries, the worst of all was a scrape on her shoulder that Mikalus quickly had taken care of. An annoying hindrance, but nothing that would keep her from fighting.

Receiving a nod from both parties, Mikalus turned forward once more, greeted by the flap of wings and sight of white and red. "Cordelia, d'you find anything?"

The redhead sighed one of her signature sighs, which didn't tip off the blonde of pinkette, but Chrom knew the context behind it said that whatever was going on wasn't good. "I know that sigh, Cordelia. What's wrong?"

Her eyes were the impassive ones expected of a soldier, but the slight anxiety still showed behind the outer mask. "About a dozen kilometers ahead, there's a small platoon of soldiers, all of them vigilant and armed."

Mikalus frowned. "Any identifying features?"

"There was a banner, it had a sigil that was very weird, but it looked like it was a helmet with horns on it."

The blonde man's shoulders fell and his eyes widened slightly. He was frozen still for a split second before he pinched at the bridge of his nose. " _Por el amor de Releos_... Anything else?"

Cordelia cupped her chin in thought. "I did see a person with long hair. Some of the others looked as if they were reporting in to that person, but it's hard to tell from so far away."

Mikalus gave a sigh of relief, as he felt the thumping in his chest calming. "That must be one of the Majors of the Pandorian Armed Forces. Dangerous in their own right, but nothing that the four of us couldn't handle. Now if it were the Generals, then we'd be in some shit."

"So, does that mean…?"

Mikalus shook his head at the pinkette. "Yes, we will be confronting the platoon the next day. Had it been one of their lieutenants or their Generals, I would have leaned towards avoidance. But seeing as it's only a Major we're dealing with, we should have little to no trouble."

Chrom nodded, having felt a similar relief to the mercenary. "We could keep moving and attack now, but then we wouldn't approach until nightfall. I suggest we just go into the woods and set up camp."

"Indeed," Mikalus replied. "We'll be better rested and better prepared for the first battle we have to come."

* * *

 _-Cordelia-_

It didn't take long for nightfall to drape its veil over the land, lilting calls of the diurnal birds having been replaced by the ghostly hoots of nocturnal owls. The night almost completely drowned everything in darkness, if not for the stars above and the enemy campsite not too far from the current position of the four. Realizing that a fire would more than likely get them spotted, they had decided to set up camp before the sun went down, as a small campfire would have been far less noticeable with the sun in the sky. After eating their fill of their rations and meat, and taking care of what they could, the group took to their sleeping bags, all except for one.

The pegasus knight was rather restless on this particular night, perched atop a high branch on a nearby tree to spy on the enemy camp. Well, maybe "spy" wasn't the word to use, as more of her time was spent with her focus drifting off into the distance, spacing out more often than not. Resting her chin in her palm, she stared at the night sky, her line of sight dancing from star to star.

'Wherever you are… I hope you're safe and sound,' she mused.

The ruby-haired princess-to-be, or queen-to-be sighed out a heavy breath. She couldn't help but feel a tinge of worry and concern for her bullheaded Pandorian lover; she knew him to have a good head on his shoulders, however his brash and impulsive nature at times could get him into trouble.

In other words, she was afraid that he would get into a huge fight and get horribly injured.

He is powerful, yes, but he is still only one man. And out of all fifteen of the bunch, he would mostly likely have the attention of both armies at the same time more than anyone else. Though she trusted that we wouldn't be so bold as to run in headlong, she still let a chuckle escape her.

A gloved hand shot up to grab the branch Cordelia rested upon, causing the redhead to jump. "Ugh…"

She almost growled. "A little warning would be nice. You nearly gave me a heart attack."

Her complaint received little else save for laboured groans and the sounds of Chrom trying to pull himself up on the branch. "I wasn't always the greatest with climbing…" he noted. "How the hell did you get up here?"

Her finger directed Chrom's line of sight down to her Brave Spear embedded tip-first in the trunk halfway down. "You mean you completely missed the spear I used as a step?"

The prince sighed. "Apparently." Finally, he managed to right himself on the branch, his posture mirroring Cordelia's. "Can't sleep?"

"Yeah. I managed to get an hour or so, so there's that."

"Thinking about him?"

The redhead nodded. "You don't know the half of it."

"It was a pretty bullheaded move of his, you know. Running straight to hostile territory without any plan."

Cordelia snorted in amusement. "The view must be wonderful from that glass house of yours."

"Well, aren't you a jester," Chrom guffawed, cracking a grin. "Truly though, your boyfriend is a handful at times."

Cordelia closed her eyes as she leaned up against the trunk. "You should have known Eric wasn't going to take something like this sitting down."

"Fair, though he isn't the easiest person to read."

"Sure he is," the redhead argued. "Spend enough time with him and he's an open book. In fact, he tends to remind me a lot of you."

A wave of shock, followed by guilt washed over Chrom. He opened his mouth to respond, yet no words left him. The feeling was not lost on Cordelia, she could sense the tension in her choice of words. "Look, don't have any poor feelings," Cordelia jumped, quick to try and relieve it. "I don't. I know you didn't feel the same way, and it's fine."

Chrom continued to avert his gaze, pushing the redhead to continue. "If anything, I'm rather happy for both you and Sumia. The poor thing was so head-over-heels for you, it was almost painful, yet adorable. A lovestruck pup, as it were." She carefully crossed her legs, keeping her balance. "Besides, finding the strength in rejection, having the time to better myself and find myself more as an individual… I needed it."

"Now look at us," she exclaimed, finally getting a responsive glance from the prince. "You're married to Sumia, my sister in all but blood, and I'm to be married to Eric, who's essentially your counterpart for me. It's actually rather amusing."

Cordelia tossed her head back up to the stars. "You two are both headstrong, powerful, insightful. A little dense at times, and some of the more subtle things go way over your heads. But you two are both great men. There's a lot more similarities between you two than you know."

Chrom coughed. "So then… you-"

"No, I do not harbour any hard feelings, nor do I feel any sense of awkwardness or tension from the past," Cordelia cut him off. "I think my biggest concern right now is what's going on with him."

"I wouldn't have ever thought we would be separated mid-transit, either," Chrom replied, looking up at the stars himself. "And unless he's covered his forehead, might as well paint a big red 'X' on his body for all its worth."

"That's not what I meant."

Blue eyes fell back to earth, reflecting their gaze on the pegasus knight. "No? Then what were you referring to?"

"He's spent day and night since he found out of Say'ri's abduction worried out of his godsdamned mind. The truth of the matter is, he cares a great deal about her as well as his child she carries. And it all comes down to this: securing his family."

Chrom furrowed his brow. "Securing his family?"

"You lost your parents young the same way he did. The greatest difference being that you still had Lady Emmeryn and Lissa. Whereas Eric was chased out to the wolves, frightened and alone. And that's how he grew up a large deal of his life. He's reserved more often than not, yes. But I'm sure you would too if you heard some of the stories he's told me. I could only imagine how that would shape him."

"So for him to not only have someone who loves him, but a full family too," Chrom began, comprehending the matter the redhead was getting at.

"It's the greatest thing he could ever wish for."

A lightbulb went off in the blunette's head. "That's why you're helping him. Why you agreed to securing his family as well as share him with Say'ri."

The redhead nodded, tears welling at the corners of her eyes. "I will admit, I was enraged beyond reason when I first found out that he had knocked her up, and even more so when she tried to muscle me out of the picture while he was undecided. In all honesty, I wanted him to push her aside and choose me. But after hearing from Raven about his turmoil, as well as seeing past the jealous rage: after seeing and understanding the vulnerable side of him that most never see… I couldn't be selfish anymore. He's been through more than most could even begin to fathom. He's so close to getting what it is he wants, and there's no way on earth he's giving that up for anything. For something like that… what kind of future wife would I be if I didn't support him?"

A smile stretched across Chrom's face. "You really do love him."

"Of course I do," she replied, blinking away the tears. "Call it being stubborn, but… He knows the risks that came with this infiltration and went through with it anyway. This is how badly he wants this. And you know it too. After all, that's why you had to have come."

The prince gave a lighthearted scoff. Damn her, how was she so gifted with reading people? Or were men like him and Eric easy to pick apart? That would be a scenario Chrom would be left to ponder for the rest of the night.

"Right," he said. "Well, sunrise is in another four hours, so I suggest you try to get a little bit more sleep this time around. I'm sure Eric's worried about you too. Wouldn't want to be at any less than one hundred percent, now would you?"

Chrom proceeded to descend from the high tree branch, with Cordelia following not too long after. "Right."

Somewhere in the Pandorian countryside, a certain blue blood sneezed himself out of his tree.

* * *

"Up and at 'em, you guys, we're burning daylight." A rousing wake-up call from Mikalus ripped the other three from their slumber. Wasting little to no time packing away what few belongings they had, the quartet were off, ready as they ever would be to make their first obstacle.

Mikalus frowned. From the moment they continued their march, he noticed Olivia shaking in her every step. Granted, he was aware by now that she was particularly shy and whatnot, and admittedly, the given circumstances certainly weren't the greatest to be exposed to. Regardless, he didn't want her lack of confidence to be what kills her.

"Hey pinkie, you okay back there?" He called out, making Olivia jump. "You don't look so good."

The rose haired dancer timidly pressed her fingertips together. "I'm not sure if I can do this…"

Luckily for the blonde, Chrom jumped in to help. "Don't worry, Olivia. Mike knows the lay of the land-as well as its military-better than any of us here. I trust that his judgement and intel will carry us through."

Shooting an apprehensive glance at the two still, but ultimately she conceded. This seemed to work somewhat, as her nerves seemed to calm a little.

"Mike!"

Cordelia swung down low before landing close by with a small plume of feathers fluttering from above. "Yeah what's up?"

"About a ten minute's march ahead, the enemy platoon is stationed," she replied.

Mikalus palmed back at the hilt of his sword on his back. "Prepare to engage." Undaunted, the four pressed onward until they made contact with the enemy squad, coming face to face with what they could only assume was the Major stationed in this region.

The Major in question was a woman of modest height, half a head shorter than Cordelia, with ash gray hair. Hers was a stone-faced expression, milky eyes glaring holes into the four. The strips of her battle skirt flowed freely in the slight breeze, yet her stance, unwavering.

"Welcome," she began in an authoritative tone. "My name is Major Ashlynn Cardoso. I care not of your identities nor intent. All that matters now is that you are underneath my custody."

Without command, each of her men laid hands on the grips of their respective weapons, anticipating that battle is at hand. Mikalus tutted. Typical Pandorian behaviour: attack first, ask questions later. "Come peacefully and you will be left unharmed."

The blonde man cracked a grin before reaching back for his own blade. "Sorry, but we're on a bit of a time crunch, so I'm afraid you will have to let us by. If that's not too much trouble, that is."

"You're playing the wrong game, boy." Ashlynn reached for her own battleaxe. "I don't play with children."

"Fine, suit yourself." In only a split second, Mikalus unsheathed his sword, revealing a heap of metal as large as his own body. Double-edged, one swing of this two-handed-or in his case, ONE handed-blade could cleave anyone and anything in its path in two. And that seemed to be Mikalus's plan at first.

However, Chrom had some misgivings. His sword was too big. There was no way that any experienced soldier would stay in its path. Unless…

"Three of you, scatter NOW!" In one quick swing, Mikalus smashed the entire area around him, shattering the entire enemy campgrounds into rubble. Dust and debris erupting from the impact, it obscured the enemy's vision, and with the fewer numbers on their side, it would allow for a clean getaway.

At least, that was what Mikalus wrote.

However, while the enemy were in a state of panic, Ashlynn stayed calm. ' _Hmm… four of them…_ ' That's it. She was tracking them based on their mana forces. ' _The blonde has too much reach with that blade… the blue one is too close to that pegasus rider, won't get him in time… that leaves…_ '

Without warning, the Major makes a beeline through the now setting smoke and rubble, aiming for what she considered the weakest link. "You cowardly weasels!"

A clash of metal against metal echoed through the area that was followed by a cry of pain immediately afterwards. The disappearing plume of dust spit out one tumbling, pink-haired body holding her sword.

"Olivia!" Mikalus shouted before knocking away a number of soldier with the flat side of his sword. "Hey Red, take off! I'll get her out of there!"

"No, we're not leaving you behind!" Chrom called out. "Cordelia!"

"On it! Mike, we're on our way!"

"Men! Your task is to detain that bothersome blonde and his friends," Ashlynn barked before cracking a sinister grin. "Leave me to fight this woman."

Pulling herself up to a standing position with her sword, Olivia froze. In front of her stood a battle, one with a woman wielding a battleaxe the size of herself, with no way out. This would be her first battle in Pandora. Her first true battle putting her own fighting style to use. And it was against a Major of the Pandorian Forces. Second in rank only to Generals and their Lieutenants.

"Oh, don't sweat it, you pretty little thing," Ashlynn cooed. "Try to have fun. And most importantly… try not to fall apart."

At a breakneck pace, Ashlynn closed the distance between her and the dancer, her arm primed to strike Olivia with a wide swing of the axe. Just barely catching herself out of her daze, the pinkette rose her blade to block her right side, only to be pushed forcefully by the strength behind the axe. Her heels dug into the earth beneath her, threatening to give way to such force.

' _Gods… the force of her strike is incredible…!_ ' Olivia mused, giving it everything in her power to stop the blow. ' _Is this the power of Pandora?_ '

"You have wonderful reactions, sweetie!" the ash haired warrior called out. "But you're simply out of your league!"

"Gah!" Another push sent Olivia flying backwards. Olivia was thankful for her kinesthetic senses, as that allowed her to recover in midair and get to her feet. Just in time, as Ashlynn made a beeline towards her yet again. As the Pandorian officer attacked, she had come to the split second decision to dodge rather than defend, as defence didn't go so well. Olivia dodged the strike with grace, leaving Ashlynn to embed her axe blade into the ground. On reaction, Olivia retaliated with a stab to the woman's face which was dodged, but the follow up kick wasn't. Centered straight into Ashlynn's gut, it knocked back the Major a few feet back.

"Oh would you look at that?" the latter grinned. "It seems the little flower does have some fight in her."

Olivia ignored that comment, instead focusing on making some sort of plan. ' _This woman has intense movements, short bursts of speed seem to be where she's at, but her weapon is compromising it. I saw that attack coming from a mile away. Oh, what would Raven do in this situation?_ '

"Pay attention before you lose your head!" Olivia saw the axe come at her in the nick of time, using her different stances and dances as methods of evading each strike that came her way. Olivia was light on her feet, her footwork was impeccable. Each swing, a mere hairsbreadth from its mark. She could hear the friction of the weapon slicing through the air.

Olivia could see it, Ashlynn's attacks were all so telegraphed, dodging was never an issue. But when it came to launching a counterattack, Olivia fell short, her strike nearly just as predictable. Her inexperience really showed, as Ashlynn moved her head to evade impalement and batted the dancer with the flat end of her axe, knocking her to the ground.

"I must say, you are quite the cardio workout. And you even managed to scratch me." Ashlynn said, sporting a new cut on her cheek. "But you're still quite a ways away."

Olivia rose to her feet, ready to engage. Fresh blood flowed from a cut alongside her hairline on the right side of her head. She also now sported a few cut and scrapes, yet she took her stance yet again.

Olivia was frightened. She never considered herself much of a fighter, she only did so as it was necessary for the war effort. Aside from that, she only needed to know how to defend herself from crooks and the occasional lecherous scum that preyed upon lithe, docile-looking females such as herself, as it was rather common in her trade. But for her to fight one-on-one against trained soldiers, someone with years of combat experience… she was way out of her league.

This was exactly what Raven warned her about. And it frightened her.

"That's it," Ashlynn cried with a sadist's grin. "Dance, girlie, dance!"

Those words resonated with Olivia. Those last three words. Olivia knew it, she was always shy or scared when it came down to most things in her life. But when she danced… all of it stopped. The anxiety, the fear. It washed away. All she saw was herself and the moves in her head. And that. That is the thing her entire fighting style was predicated upon.

 _'Very well… if it is dance you want… then it is a dance you will get!_ ' Olivia rushed down the Major, sword at the ready. Seeing this, Ashlynn lifted her axe and brought it down over the pinkette's head. Olivia lifted her sword to block, and just as her sword made contact, she let it give way to the axe and dodged to the side, leaving Ashlynn open for attack. This time, Olivia made her mark, drawing small line of red along the Major's right shoulder. Quickly, the gray haired female brought her weapon to attack, but Olivia continued to dodge, none of the former's attacking making contact.

' _Her movements… fluid like water like she's… dancing. How peculiar._ ' Ashlynn's temper continued to rise as her number of scrapes rose and her attacks continued to miss. ' _Hit, damn it!_ '

Ashlynn didn't like to resort to such tactics, but she couldn't risk losing here and being reprimanded by her superior. Once Olivia gave her the opening, Ashlynn placed a finger into one of her wounds and swung it at Olivia, splattering her face with blood and impeding her eyesight briefly.

"Gotcha!" Interrupting Olivia's rhythm, Ashlynn knocked Olivia into the side of a tree, relishing in the cry of pain Olivia gave. The Major walked closer, watching in slight satisfaction as Olivia struggled against the pain to get to her knees. Oblivious to the approaching soldier, Olivia kept trying to get back up until she felt a foot push her back down and crush into her back.

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha! I will admit, you're pretty good, girlie," Ashlynn boomed. "But it's clear you're not suited for combat, just give up!"

Olivia continued to scream her lungs out, partially because Ashlynn was forcefully expelling the air from her lungs.

"Olivia!" Mikalus screamed over the squadron of men he was busy with. "Hang in there, I'm coming!"

"Take so much as a step closer to her and she dies right here!" Ashlynn ordered before turning back to Olivia. "A true warrior needs none other than his own strength."

Ashlynn tossed Olivia up by her foot before swinging around for a roundhouse kick, sending the petite woman away once again. Olivia was nearing her breaking point, she couldn't continue for much longer.

"Ready to give up yet? This could have all been avoided if you and your friends just complied and came peacefully."

The dancer only coughed, but the glint in her eyes caused Ashlynn to sneer. "Tch. At least you have the spirit worthy of a Pandorian fighter. However, it won't be enough."

The Major walked towards the kneeling dancer. "You know what, I've grown rather tired of this. While I respect your persistence, you should know when you're licked. Because now, you're going to lose your free will, and potentially your life."

Ashlynn rose her foot, ready to finish off the dancer. "And if it comes down to it, I will hunt down and torture the living hell out of everyone who came with you on this suicide journey. Away with you!"

That was it. Something inside… something inside the dancer just… snapped. All she knew, was that Ashlynn said she'd torture everyone who came with her. Everyone including Raven. No way. No way in hell would Olivia ever let that happen.

And so it was with that will and strength that Olivia halted the woman's foot with her bare hand.

"Wh-what?!"

What Ashlynn saw next, she could only describe as the face of the reaper itself. Olivia, eyes glazed over in rage, stared deep into Ashlynn's eyes as she held her foot in her hand. Without any warning, Olivia squeezed, and she squeezed hard, a series of pops and cracks following this action, along with a scream of agony. The dancer didn't let up, however; she took her blade and in one swift moment, drew a long, deep line from Ashlynn's left hip to her right shoulder. Blood sprayed from the wound like a fountain before she fell to her back, bleeding out.

But while Ashlynn laid on the ground defeated, Olivia still didn't let up. Rather, with the same glazed look of rage, she took up her sword and aimed the point straight down at the Major, ready to deal the killing blow.

Ashlynn sighed. "Do what you will."

Olivia was happy to oblige her, and was only an inch or two away from puncturing her windpipe before a grip on her arm restrained her. The pinkette whipped her head to see an injured Mikalus holding her back, with Cordelia and Chrom close by.

"Enough, Olivia," he said sternly before Ashlynn passed out. "We are not here to kill anyone. If we do, we'll only be demolishing Lord Eric's armies once he returns to throne." Only then did the pinkette come back to her senses. Slowly, and wordlessly, she placed her sword back in its sheath.

"I-I'm sorry, Mike," the demure dancer mumbled. "I guess I got carried away."

"Are you kidding me? You took down a high ranking officer by yourself, Olivia! Gave us all quite the scare."

Olivia sighed out of exhaustion. "Well isn't that wonderful," she answered. "If you wouldn't mind… could we please get me patched up? I-I'd rather not have scars left over."

Mike chuckled. "Of course. I'm in need of some medical assistance myself. Trying to get to you left me in shambles."

"One more thing: Mike?"

"Yeah?"

"Next time, for the love of Naga... warn us about your plans."

* * *

 **FD: Another chapter done! We continue to go deeper and deeper into the rescue mission, where our heroes are getting into sticky situations.**

 **Tychon: It's rather nice you gave Olivia some of the spotlight.**

 **FD: Yeah, I thought I would give her time to shine. The problem with a game like Fire Emblem is that they have so many characters and not enough character interaction and development. Don't get me wrong, each character has their own defining traits, but the nature of the game basically has majority of them disposable unless your name is Chrom, Lucina, Robin(Avatar), Emmeryn, and to some extent, Lissa and Frederick.**

 **Also, I would like to mention that this is somewhat of a birthday gift, however small it may be.**

 **...Huh? Oh, not my birthday. My girlfriend's, specifically her 18th. I was originally going to have this done midway through the month, but I couldn't pass this up. Wish her a happy birthday, it's her first day as an adult, and I'm sure it would make her real happy. Happy 18th, Bella! :D**

 **...am I gushing? I'm gushing, aren't I? ...I'll stop.**

 ***ahem* Anyway with that out of the way, I wish everybody a good day. Fell Dragonite out.**


	16. Update

**A/N: Hello, readers. This is Isaiah. I'm FD's younger brother. For why I'm writing this instead of my brother posting a new chapter... please go look at his main profile.**

 **As for why I'm here, I think it would be best to let all of you know that this story will be on hiatus until either he gets better or... actually, let's just hope that he gets better, okay?**

 **Have a nice day.**


End file.
